


Curious Case of Castiel

by vrskaandrea



Series: True Colors universe [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angel & Human Interactions, Angel Healing, Angel Sex, Angel/Human Relationships, Bonding, Castiel's Angelic Grace (Supernatural), Declarations Of Love, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, Grace-Soul Bonding (Supernatural), Healing, Ice cream man - Freeform, Jack's angels, Lawyer Sam Winchester, Love Confessions, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possession, Roadtrip, Romantic Soulmates, SPN lost plotline, Soul Bond, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, forgotten plot, grace healing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 46,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23701831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vrskaandrea/pseuds/vrskaandrea
Summary: Sequel to True Colors, but with a slight focus on Castiel. The guys with their significant others investigate a case of a strange death and find so much more then they are looking for.
Relationships: Castiel/Female Character, Dean Winchester & Original Female Character(s), Dean Winchester/Original Female Character(s), Sam Winchester & Original Female Character(s), Sam Winchester/Original Female Character(s)
Series: True Colors universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706956
Comments: 76
Kudos: 9





	1. Family roadtrip

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to this new story of mine. Straight off I gotta warn you all that this is sort of a sequel of my story True Colors, but aside from Sam and Juls and Dean and Sarah, this will focus a bit on their friendly angel Castiel and will explain his lack of presence in the prequel. We will see the new dynamic of the group as well, as they try and solve this case.

_Maybe I should give Cas a call,_ Dean thought driving all four of them to Baltimore to check out Julia's case. She hasn't told them much, just that her friend was in trouble. Soon after they took off towards their new destination, both her and Sammy fell asleep instantly, her wrapped in his arms, both sprawled in the back seat. That put a smile on Dean's face. Sarah was next to him in the passenger seat looking out the window, but ever so often glancing at him with a smile. Yeah, everything was perfect.

Dean wouldn't admit it as such, but he was missing Cas a bit. Last time they spoke to him was just before they met Juls and Sarah, and even then, Dean hasn't spoken to him, just Sam. He really should reach out and talk, but every time he would pick up the phone, some strange sense of pride wouldn't let him dial, a part of him felt a bit angry at Cas. Or hurt. With Dean it is one in the same sometimes. Cas left to help Jack maintain Heaven. Cas left. And Dean missed his friend.

But there was new development, Sam has found someone to care for and Dean... Well, Dean did too. He glanced at Sarah once again, and smiled, a warm fuzzy feeling swelling in his chest. And he wanted to share it with his best friend. So finally he picked up that phone and dialed. He waited, listening to the tone that indicated it was ringing, and then it went straight to voice mail. There was a sting in his heart at that, but he pushed past that and left a message for Cas to call him back. He tried to sound cheery, saying he had news, and then hung up the phone and sighed.

Dean flinched and looked at Sarah when she set her slightly cold hand on his shoulder and gave him a comforting smile. Yeah, right, she could sense his feelings. Talk about the irony. Dean, who always hid his feelings from the world, especially the bad ones, burring them deep and leaving them there, he was now an open book to Sarah. She could tell each thing he felt an any given moment, there was nothing he could hide from her. And somehow... He didn't want to.

He felt so safe with her, safer then he ever felt, and not just physically, but emotionally as well. He felt like he could show her everything, and despite the darkness that consumed him sometimes, she would still see the beauty in it all.

Dean groaned to himself. He is turning into such a chick it was getting ridiculous. OK, no more thinking. Focus on the road. They still had a long way to go. Maybe some music would set him mind in the drive mood. For a brief second he contemplated telling Sarah to put something on, just to see what song would pop up, but decided against it and instead put on his Bon Jovi cassette. Now, the whole song might not speak his lyrics like Sarah's does, but that one line sure did send tingles thought Dean's body as he imagined laying Sarah down in the Bed Of Roses.

Sarah suddenly turned to him with slight shock on her face and immediately Dean blushed. Yeah, right. She could feel that too. Must be the proximity and the fact that they were almost alone, not counting the two sleeping soundly in the back. Sarah averted her eyes downward with a blushing smile of her own and Dean took a deep breath, trying to shake those feelings away. At least until they reach their motel...

A few hours later, Dean was settled in, singing the songs and really focusing on the road, Sarah still seated beside him, looking out the window. It would be strange thinking why she hadn't dozed off like the two in the back, but considering Sarah didn't need much sleep, Dean didn't pay much attention. Still, he did notice when she reached with her right hand and started rubbing at her left shoulder, and even though Dean was no psychic/empath, he could still feel something was off. Sarah was almost hugging herself, her eyes glued to the window, her look distant, lost.

"Hey... You ok?" Dean asked setting his hand on her knee. She looked down on it and smiled before raising her bright blue eyes to meet his. Only for a moment, Dean was reminded of his friend who had almost the same eye color, and he couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with the angelic part of them, with the lingering grace inside of them.

"Yeah. I guess, I am just a bit nervous..." She replied with a forces smile. It isn't that she was all that good in hiding her feelings, which she wasn't, but Dean was a trained hunter that could spot this kind of lie a mile away. Still, he knew it was just an attempt on her part not to make him worry, so he went along.

"Nervous? About what?" Dean asked, really trying to think of a reason why would she be... Scared, because that was definitely not nerves. Was she sensing something, or was it...

"About the hunt... If you don't count what happened in Miami, this would be... My very first hunt..." She spoke barely above a whisper and Dean mentally rolled his eyes at himself. He felt like such an idiot. A part of him knew Sarah only went along with this because of him. And even thought this is yet to be declared as an actual hunt, there was definitely something odd happening, something their type of strange. And Dean was excited for the first time in a while to go out and figure it out, but he was torn, because he knew Sarah didn't want this. So he tried to reason it, not just to ease her mind, but to ease his guilt over making her be a part of it.

Dean reached and pulled her close, slugging his arm over her shoulders, trying to muster as much warmth and comfort in that embrace before he spoke. "This isn't technically a hunt, you know. All we know is that Julia's friend is in trouble and we are going to help her. We aren't even sure it was our kind of thing..." He lied. And she knew it. But appreciated it nonetheless. At least they weren't going after vampires or werewolves or whatever. At least there weren't any dead bodies involved. As much as she knew.

* * *

Sam slowly came to, grunting and mumbling, feeling tense. Without opening his eyes, he stretched his leg that was beginning to cramp up, the shake of a car speeding down the road trying to lull him back to sleep. But he fought against it, feeling like he has gotten enough of rest. He really needed to stretch out. Somewhere in his foggy mind, he expected to hear Dean's "Rise and shine, Sammy.", but instead there was a polite female voice saying "Good morning." Took him a moment to remember who the voice belong to, as he tried to focus his still sleepy eyes.

"I want to ask if you slept well, but somehow I doubt that, considering how much your joints crack when you stretch out." Sarah said with a polite smile in her voice. Sam finally blinked his eyes open without the fog over his vision and frowned in complete confusion. His mouth parted and dangled open in slight shock as he gawked at Sarah, at the back of her head more precisely, at her blond ponytail.

"Sa... Sarah? Are you... Are you driving?" Sam finally managed to utter, and Sarah opened her mouth to say something, but paused. And then huffed a laugh.

"Yeah, Dean was tired and he didn't want to wake you up so he offered me to drive, since I hardly sleep. But between you and me, I think he was just trying to distract me from thinking to much about this... Case." Sarah explained, not wanting to call it a hunt.

"But, he... He offered?" was all Sam got from what she said, somewhere in the back of his mind he did register the way Sarah spoke about the reason they were headed to Baltimore. He was much more interested in how the heck would Dean trust her with his Baby, girlfriend or not. Or whatever they were. He threw a glance at his brother sleeping form in the passenger seat, becoming even more baffled as to how he could just... Sleep. While someone else was driving his Baby.

Sarah huffed another laugh, glancing at Sam's bewildered face in the rear-view mirror.

"How do you think he got from Miami to the bunker with a broken leg?" Sarah asked, her lips quirking into a smirk. It was so amusing to see Sam like this, without his usual cool and composure.

"You... You... He... You drove baby then too?" Sam was even more confused. That was before her and Dean even got together and he... He let her drive? "I... I need to... Is there a stop, a gas station or something? I need air." What Sam needed was to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Actually, we are just entering Baltimore and I saw a sign for a motel about a two miles ahead. Would it be ok to stop there?" Sarah asked, sensing some of Sam's distress. It was the same when Tej and Roman saw her driving Uncle Dom's Dodge. They thought they were imagining things. Sam just nodded, and tried to process the situation, but as soon as Julia steered in his arms, he looked down at her, some warm feeling washed over him, and he felt himself relax just a bit. She didn't wake and Sam focused on Sarah again, watching her drive. Nothing special about it, she didn't caress the car like Dean would, but there was some feeling of respect in the way she handled the car. And in the end, if Dean let her, then who was Sam to question it.

A smile cracked over his face as a thought came to his mind. Dean cared about this girl. Deeply. So much so that he would sleep so peacefully knowing someone else, knowing she is driving his Baby. Damn, Sarah really must be special. And Sam couldn't be more happier for his brother. Dean deserved this. He deserved to be happy.

A mile in, both Julia and Dean started to wake. Julia frowned seeing Sarah in the drivers seat, but didn't say anything about it, instead opting to ask "Where are we?" She was surprised to hear they were already in Baltimore and that she actually slept throughout the whole trip. After looking over Sarah, Dean turned towards the back and laughed.

"You too are just made for each other, you know?"

Sam huffed a slight blush smile and Julia frowned asking "Why?"

"You both have the same morning hairstyles. Like you have been electrocuted... - he said and suddenly turned serious - you didn't do anything kinky while I slept, right?"

"Shut up, Dean." Sam said without any malice, knowing he was just teasing and laughed when Julia stuck her tongue out to him. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She asked and Dean drew his hands up in surrender, an amused smile on his face as he turned back to look at the road ahead.

"Just a mile to the motel." Sarah informed and Dean nodded, then turned back around.

"So, wanna fill us in?" he said glancing at Julia. She frowned at Dean, slight mistrust lashing upon her eyes. She was not used to sharing and all this... Joint hunting and everything, but she cared about Sam, she cared about him a lot, so she had to make this work. And maybe... It was her friend that was in trouble and she needed to focus on that, she needed to find a way to help her. So a few extra set of eyes and hands on this shouldn't be a bad thing, right?

"A mutual friend tried to reach me while I was... While we were stuck there... My friend, Diana, something happened to her. She met a guy in a bar and apparently slept with him, and when she woke up in the morning, he was dead. In her bed. She called it in, not touching the body except to check his pulse. But when the cops came and turned him around, suddenly she screamed and... She passed out. She has been completely catatonic ever since. She just... Stares and doesn't move much."

Others remained quiet, waiting for her to say more, only Sam took her hand in his and caressed it, his warm half-smile and comforting look in his eyes assuring her they will do whatever they can to help her friend out. She nodded at him and kept talking.

"They guy didn't have any ID on him, so I don't know who he was yet, but we should know once we reach the coroner. I do know that there were no signs of foul play, and that they have no idea how he died. I have known Diana for a while now and she... She knew about the kind of work I did. She knew about supernatural. She was also a police detective, close to retirement. I know she didn't do anything to this guy."

Julia fell silent, hoping they believe her. She knew the detective for a while, Diana saved her life on a ghost case she worked on. After a few minutes of silence, it was Dean that finally spoke up.

"And we don't know anything about the guy? Just that she met him at a bar and that they probably slept together?" He asked, just looking for more information. Julia was just a bit relieved not to hear any accusation in his voice, any uncertainty and that he, along with Sam believed her.

"Nothing yet, but we should get more information once we get to the body. That's why I suggest we head to the coroner's office first. Should be closer to the motel and we could fish out some information before we head to the precinct." Julia responded and Dean seemed a bit doubtful, but it was Sam who voiced those doubts.

"Cops don't usually like it when he don't give them the courtesy of introduction before we go and see the body. And coroners do give information more easily if they know we spoke to the head detective on the case."

"That shouldn't be a problem. We definitely need to go check out the body first, because I just know the head detective will cock-block us from the start." If Dean was drinking anything he would spit it out in spray hearing Julia's vocabulary. The words were nothing knew to him, but to her a woman say it like that... Julia just kept talking and ignored Dean slight choke on thin air. "Michael is an asshole."

"WHAT?!" Both Sam and Dean jumped up at those words and Julia flinched at their shouts. "Michael Lang. The head detective on the case..." Sam and Dean exchanged looks and both huffed a laugh. Of course she didn't mean that Michael, how could she? That Michael was long gone and the other is in the wind as far as they know and... Yeah.

"Sorry, go on." Sam assured, shaking his head to his and Dean's sudden outburst. He glanced at Sarah, but couldn't see anything as she was facing forward. But Sarah felt that sudden fear that washed over both of them, Dean especially.

"Mike Lang is the lead on the case and he also hates Diana. She was a better detective then he was, and then she turned him down after he chased her and asked her out a few times. She hurt his male ego and he thought the whole precinct make a mockery of him, even though nobody really cared. He is a dick. And we need to be bigger dicks." Juls finished, fishing out her FBI badge out of her bag.

"Don't think that's going to be a problem." Dean mussed lowering his head too look at his crotch and then at Sam's and at the same time Sam yelled "Dean!" completely appalled, Sarah burst laughing. Even Julia laughed, and Sam pouted, feeling like the only adult in the car. "Just saying. Sammy. We are so much better endowed in these kinds of matters." Sam just shook his head.

"Amen to that." Julia said and Sam looked at her almost mortified as the rest of the car burst laughing one again.

* * *

"Two Queens." Dean said and the receptionist gave him a half confused, half disgusted look as she peered behind him and towards the other three and their bags. Sam cleared his throat and called out to Dean, raising his brow. Dean turned back to the receptionist with one of his charming smiles and spoke up again. "Oops. My bad. Forgot about... Yeah, we'll take two rooms... - he glanced back at the group and flashed a genuine smile to the receptionist - Two rooms with one king bed each."

"Right..." The receptionist rolled her eyes at him, typed something at her computer and him then gave him two room keys. He flashed her a wide smile and grabbed the keys. Sam too rolled his eyes, Julia mimicked Dean's smile and Sarah had her eyes darting the ground shyly, slightly blushing, but smiling nonetheless. Dean tossed one set of keys to Sam and took Sarah's hand, leading her to their room.

"We head out in an hour. Think that would be enough time, hey Sammy?" Dean shouted over his shoulder and Sam just shook his head at his brother's antics, but still smiled at him. He hasn't seen him this goofy in almost a decade and was so glad to see a bit of that boyish charm and happiness return.

"Better make it two!" Sam's eyes widened at Julia's retort and he glared at her completely confused. She didn't think that... Dean was just joking, she must have known that. Oh, she was shooting back a retort. Right. Sam hoped.

Glancing back at his brother as he skipped (?) beside Sarah, Sam had to smile again. She really was good for him. But deep down Sam couldn't help but worry. Sarah had some powers and she had angel blood in her system. What could that mean for them? Will it mean anything? Their lives weren't written by Chuck anymore, so all bets are off.

Could be something, could be nothing. Could be just that Sarah is strong enough to protect herself and Dean, and Sam would really like it if it is so. Dean needed someone strong to back him up and to take care of him, and Sarah certainly fit the bill.

But he needed to know for sure. He needed to know if his brother will be alright, and only then he could let go. Maybe Cas could provide some answers? And before he knew it, Sam was pulling out his phone and dialing that familiar number, huffing a laugh at Cas's "I don't understand, why... Why do you want me to say my name?" followed by dialing tones and finally a beep. Sam should really help him change that.

"Hey, Cas, it's Sam. Just checking in. We are in Baltimore, helping out... A friend. Listen, we ran into something, nothing serious, no big deal, but I just wanted to pick your brain and... No, not, um... I wanted to ask you a few questions about that. Call me when you get this. Again, nothing urgent, just... Yeah... Just, um... Call me, ok?"

And as he hung up the phone, a strange familiar feeling washed over him and Sam turned, but didn't see the short overweight man that turned the corner and a drop of ice-cream down on the ground.


	2. Not as it seems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally get to see our friend Cas, horay!

After Sam finished his phone call, he started towards his and Julia's room. She snatched the keys from him earlier and went in, taking his bag as well. Sam reached the door and was just about to open it, when the door swung open, a hand grabbed him by his shirt and yanked him inside, the door slamming shut.

Sam too was slammed against the door and attacked with feverish kisses as Julia literally jumped him, hooking her legs around his waist. His mind was confused for only a moment, but his body reacted quickly, his hands coming to grip her ass and hold her steady. She pressed herself against him and immediately he felt himself stiffen, blood rushing away from his blushing cheeks downward. With his very last ounce of clear judgement he broke the kiss and tried to stop her.

"What? Dean said meet in an hour." Julia countered, and when he turned his head away from her so that she wouldn't shut him up with her kisses she attacked his neck, kissing and biting and making him dizzy with desire.

"Ju... Juls... J.. Oh, God!" He tried, stuttered as she hit a sweet spot and then tried again "Juls... Ple...Stop." Julia smirked into the crook of his neck and kept going, this time adding friction with the lower part of her body making him moan.

* * *

When Dean walked into their room, he set the bags on a small table by the window, and turned to check out the room. A strange, almost happy like feeling washed over him, mixed with some excitement as he saw the king-size bed in the center of the room. It wasn't just sexual excitement, but also... The mere fact that he now had somebody to share a king-size bed with, somebody who is hopefully here to stay, had him feeling... Genuinely happy. He turned and saw Sarah watching him with a warm smile and he had to look away for only a moment. This was... Beyond his wildest dreams and as such, a bit overwhelming for him, but she took a step towards him and he looked at her again, meeting those mesmerizing blue eyes and felt like his heart is going to burst.

He closed the gap between them, his hand going around her waist, the other coming up to her cheek. He leaned in and set such a deep emotional kiss on her lips, tasting a mix of something sweet and sour. Almost like that key lime pie he tried years ago. And just when he began to wonder why it was so, Sarah moved closer and deepened the kiss, sending those tingles through Dean's body.

Immediately Dean forgot whatever he was thinking and used that hand that was around her waist to pull her closer, flush against him. He could hear her gasp, her chest starting to heave from excitement. Her hand slipped from his neck to his chest, feeling his strong and slightly rapid heartbeat.

Dean broke away, not really sure if he wanted this to happen now, and he turned slightly to the right, his left cheek coming up against Sarah's ear. "God, you're so..." He whispered, unable to finish the sentence as she leaned in and started planting small wet kisses down his neck, like small electrical jolts that started to pool in the pit of his stomach. Unexpectedly, her hand found its way around him, settled on his ass and squeezed lightly, pulling him closer.

Her other hand came up to caress one side of his neck, while the other side had the attention of her lips moving up to his ear. And when she came close, she whispered, her voice calm, but slightly pleading "Tell me... Tell me what you want to do to me..."

Dean's mind clouded instantly and he seriously contemplated picking her up at throwing her on the bed, ripping her clothes off and taking her, but before he could even say a word, a loud banging on the door interrupted them.

"Dean! Dean! C'mon, we are ready. And hungry." Sam called out, some strange urgency in his voice.

Dean groaned and called back "Go away, Sam!" just as Sarah's hand found her way to his stomach, right above the belt buckle, her kisses turning a bit more sinful.

"C'mon, there is a diner here right next to the motel, we could grab a bite before we change and head it to the morgue." Sam pressed and with an eye rolled he carefully broke away from Sarah, much to her dismay.

It was like Sam couldn't wait to get them going, while Sarah just wanted them to be alone. Or was it that Sam was running from something and Sarah was hiding? Were they deflecting?

Dean waltzed over to the door and swung it open angrily, giving his brother a death glare. "I said one hour, Sam."

"I... I thought you were joking." Sam huffed a nervous laugh, fidgeting in place. "But you're here and we are here and let's go." He said and turned opposite of where Julia was fumming, practically running toward the diner.

A few minutes later, all four were sitting in a booth, ready to order. Dean couldn't stay mad at Sam for long, he was his little brother, but Julia could. No matter how much he tried to persuade her he was doing this for her friend, Julia still thought something was off.

Sarah was a nervous wreck, but she tried her best to hide it. Julia did notice something was off about her too, and her suspicions grew, while Dean was completely oblivious, smiling like a goofball all morning. Sam too noticed Sarah's behaviour, watching her with slight worry.

"I'll have eggs and bacon with a side of bacon." Dean ordered with a wide smile. Julia frowned.

"I'll have eggs and triple the bacon and also waffles. You have strawberry syrup?" Julia ordered.

"Ouuu... I want waffles." Dean added "You got maple syrup?"

"I want coffee. Black " Julia said sounding a little pissy.

"Make that two." Dean said, completely oblivious he is pissing Julia off. Sam interrupted before it could escalate.

"I'll have a spinach egg-white omelette, please."

"Eeeew." Both Dean and Julia said at the same time, while Sarah just smiled entertained. She ordered a plain omelette and some orange juice, and remained silent for most of the breakfast while the others discussed what might have happened to Julia's friend.

Once the breakfast was finished they all walked back to their rooms, and Sam took a moment to pull Dean to the side, nodding at the girls that they'll be tight there. "Look, I don't think you should take Sarah along to the morgue or to the precinct." He finally said after the girls were out of the ear shot. "She just... She seems nervous about this and..."

"And what, Sam? You think she is a liability?" Dean asked frowning at his brother.

"No. No! Of course not!" Sam sounded appalled Dean would even think that. "I just mean... She doesn't seem to want to be involved in all of this." Sam was voicing concerns Dean already feared were true. Sarah seemed to be very reluctant about hunting in general, but neither knew if she was scared or maybe she considered herself a liability. Could even be both.

Dean sighed. He saw it too, heck even her actions in the motel room spoke of a need to be with him, in his arms and not out there. Maybe he should stay behind with Sarah and let Sam and Julia check it out. For now.

"Maybe I can stay back with her, while you and Juls check out the morgue and the precinct?" Sam offered and Dean blinked. He was just about to suggest the same thing. So Dean frowned at his brother and only slightly squinted his eyes, giving Sam a knowing look.

"I just think, maybe it would be easier for her to talk to me about it... I know it isn't the same, the demon blood I had and this with her, but... I think I understand. She is scared she might hurt someone, Dean." Sam said, and up to that point Dean was darting the ground thinking, but when Sam said Sarah thought she might hurt someone, his eyes snapped up at his brother, realization dawning on his face. He thought Sarah was scared of the supernatural, if the world out there. It never crossed his mind that she didn't fear everything, but feared for everyone around her.

That she might see herself as one of the monsters.

"Oh, shit... You really think this is that serious?" Dean asked, running a hand over his face.

"Maybe it isn't yet, but it will be." Sam answered. From what he gathered she always had these powers, but it was only lately that they have surfaced in a more drastic way, probably faced with other supernatural creatures.

"Yeah, you're right. Still, I hate to leave her with this, I..." Sam cut him off.

"You'll be back in a few hours tops, she'll be alright. Besides, it is better then to leave her in the car, seeing as how we didn't have time to make her a fake badge or to buy her a proper outfit." Sam said and Dean nodded agreeing. Seeing his brother a bit worried and depressed, he tried some reassurance with slight deflection.

"Don't worry, she will be fine. Besides, now you have a chance to get to know Juls a bit too. Just make sure she doesn't kick your ass for the third time." In all his life, Sam has never seen Dean work up such a profound bitch face as he did right now.

* * *

 _That went better than I expected._ Dean thought to himself as he left their motel room, dressed up in his FBI attire. Sarah even commented saying he looks handsome and it made him blush, almost unable to re-establish contact with those beautiful blue eyes. She kissed him goodbye, saying she will be fine and is more than happy to stay behind with Sam. Dean told her his brother had stomach issues and made sure she tries to help him and in the process embarrass him. He had it coming.

But now he was staring at his precious car, knowing that Julia was in it, waiting for him and he sighed. He thought this was going to be so hard. He had no idea.

First thing he noticed when he came into the car was Julia's crossed legs tapping at the floor in impatience, her arms crossed and rage on her face. She must not have liked this whole separation thing. He turned on the ignition and put the car in gear, exiting the motel parking lot.

"Turn left on the first light, then take the second street right, fourth street left. The morgue is at the end of the street." Juls said through clenched teeth, not even looking at Dean, opting instead to stare out of the window. Dean signed again, shaking his head. This is going to be a long ride. Unable to stand the silence, he reached and popped one of his cassettes in the player, filling the car with some good old fashioned Led Zeppelin.

Julia moved slowly, turning to look at the player first, and then at Dean, curious and slightly confused. Dean saw the movement with the corner of his eye, but didn't think much of it, instead humming to the rhythm of the song. But after a moment or two, he could see her visibly relax and start to hum as well, and was that a small smile he caught a glimpse of? She must like Led Zeppelin too.

Dean was confused when fifteen minutes later, Julia brush past him and walked up to the local coroner. The woman had short blond hair and a slightly sulky look on her face as she assessed Julia head to toe when the huntress flashed her FBI badge. The tag on her lab coat said Ellen Dolan, so that must have been her name.

"How may I help you agents?" she asked raising her head up a bit and looking down upon Julia as if she was better than her. Dean couldn't see the huntress's face, and was completely confused by the clear non-verbal communication the two were having. Ellen only threw one amused glance at Dean, sizing him up before going back to the staring contest.

"We want to see the body and any possessions you may have of the John Doe, the victim in the Ballard case." Julia demanded with an authoritative voice that caught Dean by surprise. Ellen silently scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"I am sorry, but without the approval of the head detective or the police captain, I am in no obligation to give you anything. There are procedures you know." Ellen said and glanced at Dean again. There was some undeterminable spark in her eyes as she sized him up again and Dean caught movement on her lips as if she licked them with her tongue just barely. Dean felt uncomfortable, but uncertain he wanted to get into this chick fight the two were obviously having.

"Oh, you will be sorry once I report you disobediences to the police captain! I want to see the body, now!" Julia almost shouted, and Dean just stood there baffled. Is this how she gets things done? Maybe she gets away with it with men, but with someone like this Ellen? No way this will fly.

And Ellen did seem unphased for a moment, but then that spark returned as she glanced at Dean once again. "Tell you what, I let you look at the body, no questions asked if you borrow me your partner for the night." Ellen proposed.

"He looks so delicious..." She added and Dean's eyes went wide with shock. Did she just say what he thought she said? Worst off, she was giving him a lustful look as she bit her lower lip, and was probably imagining all the things she could to to him. He opened his mouth to defend himself (his honor?), but alas, no words would come.

And then Juls turned and she too sized him up head to toe with slight confusion on her face, as if she was thinking _You want THAT?_ , and Dean wanted to feel offended, but at the same time if he was offended, it might mean he wanted that, and He. Did. Not. Want. That! He started opening his mouth to say something, closed it because he changed his mind about what he was going to say, opened it again to retort something else and eventually ended looking like a fish on dry land.

But that wasn't the worst thing, nooooo. The worst thing? It was when Julia squinted her eyes at him, smirked and said "Deal!"

Dean gawked his eyes at her, going completely pale for a moment before he raised his hand indicating a million NOs and slowly but steadily backed away. "No, no, now, listen, that... No, huh... Ha... That's not..." Dean tried, tangling himself in his words, huffing nervous laughs, his cheeks growing hotter and hotter.

And that's when both Julia and Ellen started laughing. "Omg, did you see that look on his face?!" Julia said to Ellen, who was laughing along, shaking her head.

"Priceless." Ellen commented and Dean clicked his jaw, eyeing the two suspeciously.

"Sorry, Deanny, that little rouse was meant for Sam, but you guys decided to change up on me, so you got the short end." Julia said through laughing tears. It didn't escape Dean the new nickname she gave him, but he was fumming, not quite angry. Even he had to admit it, it was funny.

"Alright. But I am paying you back for this. You AND Sam too!" Dean retorted with a slight pout, making both girls giggle.

"C'mon, let's go see that body. Oh, and Dean, this is my friend Ellen Dolan. Do try and be polite." Julia said and walked past them towards the freezers.

Dean frowned after Julia, but turned and smiled nervously at Ellen, shaking her hand. "Don't worry there, stud. I won't bite unless you are a girl. With those I make no promises." She said with a wink and turned going after Julia. Dean shook his head before following the two. What has he gotten himself into?

When he entered the freezer room, Ellen and Julia were already standing over a body Ellen pulled out of the drawer, but he couldn't see the guy as Julia was blocking his view. He listened to them talk about their mutual friend Diana that was currently facing charges for the murder of the guy before them.

Dean let Julia lead the way, it was her case and her friend after all and he was more of a backup anyway. But he caught a glimpse of a bag labeled Doe, John, case Ballard, probably the victims belongings. The name sounded familiar to him, so he decided he might as well look through it.

Julia and Ellen kept talking about how they had security camera footage of the two meeting in the bar, quite innocently and after a few drinks they left together. Dean pulled out a smaller bag with a wallet that had no ID, just a few bucks and a piece of paper tucked into a side pocket. The cops must have missed it as it would be a mayor clue considering it had her name on it and the name of the bar with a date on it. Sounds like a hit. She was targeted for something.

The rest of small trinkets seemed irrelevant, and the rest of the stuff was just the guys clothes. Dean went through it, pulling out one piece of the suit after another as he listened to Ellen say she is completely baffled by this case, as she has no clear cause of death. According to conditions of a few organs, the guy should have been dead for over a decade, which just added to the mystery. Dean just listened and nodded, pulling out of the bag dark blue trousers, a white shirt, a... Familiar looking tie...

Dean swallowed hard looking at the blue jacket that covered more clothing items, sucked in a breath and held it as he pulled out the jacket revealing a beige clothing piece. With shaky hands he pulled it out, revealing it to be a all too familiar trenchcoat.

Millions of questions and scenarios ran through his mind, but before he could even think, he was shoving Julia out of the way, coming up to see the body himself, gasping and covering his mouth at the sight of his best friend lying motionless on a cold table.

"Holy fuck!"


	3. Boulevard of broken dreams

It was only ten minutes since Dean left that Sarah heard a knock on her door. Figuring it was probably Sam, she opened the door and smiled cheery. "Hello, Sam."

"Hey, Sarah... Um..." Sam started, rubbing the back of his neck making his hair bounce. Sarah huffed a smile and moved aside, letting him in.

"It's ok, Sam, come in. Dean told me you wanted to talk to me... About my powers. Said maybe it would be good to talk to you." She said never dropping the smile. She was a bit nervous, but also eager to see what Sam could tell her. Sam sat by the window table, looking a bit nervous himself and watched her fetch them a cup of coffee each before sitting down opposite of him.

Sam took a his coffee before he spoke up "Yeah, I wanted to..." He trailed off, uncertain and then seemed to switch course. "Did Dean tell you about me?"

"About you? I... I don't understand." Sarah said with a frown of confusion and Sam smiled with a small sigh. He looked at her and paused a bit, then took a deep breath and continued.

"I had powers too." He watched as her eyes widened in surprise, but didn't wait for a response "But mine were different. They um... Came from a different place." He paused again and looked up at Sarah. She was still a bit surprised, but quiet, waiting for him to keep going.

"When I was a baby, I was given demon blood... And then later, it... They somehow activated in me later, and I could... I could do stuff. A few things, nothing like what you can do. I could sometimes move things withy mind, and I... I wasn't affected by other powers. And I could exorcise demons with it. Then later, when I... When I grew stronger, I could even kill them."

"That's... That's good, right?" Sarah asked.

"That's what I thought too. Until I killed the wrong one." Sam said with a sigh. After a moment he looked back at Sarah, and seeing her questioning look, he shook his head. "This isn't really why I came... But I guess you should know." So he told her about the demons, about the angels, about their mutual war. About the manipulation from both ends and eventually about Lucifer and Michael. And Sam and Dean.

"You... You make it sound like it was all your fault... You know that it wasn't, right?" Sarah asked in the end. He huffed and smiled at her.

"Maybe not all mine, but if I had listened to everyone else when they told me demon blood is bad..." He said, but she confidently cut him of.

"There will always be a _'what if_ ', there will always be a different scenario that might seem like a better option, but it doesn't necessarily have to mean it would have been." She stated firmly. Sam was a bit surprised by her attitude, but had to agree, remembering a world where his mother never made a deal with a certain yellow-eyed demon. He had to admit, no matter what, the world is still turning and they are still alive and fighting, while beings like Lucifer and Michael were a thing of the past.

On the other hand he was beginning to see just what Dean liked about her. She seemed like a fragile little thing but could be tough and driven when someone needed help or support. She had a lifting positive attitude that seemed to radiate from her no matter how she felt.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. No point thinking about it now, anyway, what's done is done. But I came here to talk to you about your powers." Sam said with a smile., which she returned and nodded, looking a little less nervous. "Can you tell me exactly what you can do... on your own. The power that you can control?"

Sarah nodded once before she took in a deep breath. "Ok... I can... Well, see into a person's soul, I guess? I don't know how to describe it better. This was something I could do since I was a teenager, I could just touch someone and focus on them and I could see what they are like inside..." Sarah tried to explain as best as she could.

"Alright...Um... Tell me what do you see exactly." Sam asked curiously.

"Well... Most of the time it is like seeing this pillar of light and it is usually bright, unless you are a bad person then it looks a bit stained. Some pillars have different lights on them, I think they represent their feelings, but it is also... It is more than that, I...I can't really explain that part. I... I just know what they are feeling."

"Oh, so like empathy." Sam offered.

"I... I guess so. Sometimes I even pick up on their feelings and start feeling the same... But that only happened twice and with Dean." Sarah said sheepishly. Even if she didn't specify what she meant by that, Sam figured he knew, so he moved on.

"Did you take a look at Dean's soul? What did you see?"

"That's... That's the strangest thing. His soul... Is so much different than anything I have ever seen before."

"Different how?" Sam asked.

"Sometimes... Sometimes instead of a pillar of light, there is a manifestation of the person's soul in a different manner, and that... That isn't new, but... Dean had some strange shadows circling him, his soul, like they were trying to... Like they were trying to take over, but couldn't." Sarah said looking a little worried. "I... I haven't told Dean this, I... I didn't know how."

Sam looked thoughtful for a moment before he asked "And you never saw anything like that before?"

"No."

"What about those shadows. What did they look like?" He asked.

"There were a few, all of them different. The most vibrant one was... It was like liquid, a bright blue liquid, and it... It just circled him. There was... There was also a reddish-yellow smoke that had this awful smell to it... I couldn't figure out what the smell was."

"Rotten eggs?" Sam asked and Sarah looked at him baffled for a moment. "Yeah... I... I think so. There was also a dark one, like a real shadow, but it just lingered in the back, but felt so much more scary than anything else. And there were some small amounts of something purple, but it was just barely there." Sarah explained. She did skip the part about him being a little scared boy, mostly to conceal something personal of his, but also because he wasn't like that anymore.

Sam felt silent for a while, thinking over what she said. It did make some sense, the colours and the way she explained them. The white-blue liquid was probably remanence of grace, Michael's grace and it was the most recent... Thing in his system, so it figures it would be more vibrant. The dark shadow was probably darkness, Dean's connection to Amara. He did bear her mark and released her. The purple was the colour of some powerful magic, Sam knew as much from Rowena. So it was probably a resonance of when Dean was hit with a memory spell and the love spell.

But one thing was bothering Sam. The red-yellow smoke clearly represented hell and Dean's time there. But it was the oldest of all the shadows, why was it so powerful and so bright?

"Could you... Could you look inside my soul?" Sam asked. For a moment he remembered when Cas took a look and how much that hurt, and suddenly he wasn't really sure if he wanted her to do it. Sarah reached over the table and set her hand over his, smiling encouragingly.

"I can feel your sudden concern, and I don't know if you're worried about what I might find..."

"No, I just... – Sam said huffing a nervous smile – Please... I want to know what you see."

Sarah nodded and closed her eyes. Sam frowned, confused for a moment, but then felt the warmth of her hand that was still on top of his and it somehow felt soothing. Calming.

"Wow. I don't know what these colours are, but you're just as beautiful as Dean..." Sarah said in a trance-like manner, then opened her eyes wide, blushing like crazy. "Sorry, I didn't mean... I just... – she stopped sighed and continued – What I meant was, that the colours, they are beautiful. It is something I am certain I could never see in real life." Or on this plain of existence – was what she tried to say. Sam smiled amusingly before asking her to tell him what did she see.

"Ok, so I saw... I saw the same bright blue liquid, but only a drop or two and much more of bright red liquid. It almost seemed like it hissed at me." Sarah said with a frown of concern. Sam knew exactly what that was. A bit of Gadreel's grace, and a bunch of Lucifer's. But he didn't want to go back to that topic so he urged her to continue.

"Ok, there was some dark smoke, similar to Dean's red-yellow one, but different. Weaker." Ok, so demon possession, check.

"And there was purple there too, but... Sam... I know it may sound like something to be concern about, but I felt nothing bad about it... I saw it was... It was somehow latching on to you, like it was... Like it was infusing with your soul. I don't know what it is, but..."

"Magic." Sam responded.

"What?"

"Purple is usually the colour that appears around magic and witchcraft and... It is a long story. But you're right, it isn't anything to worry about." Sam said, and then told her about what he thought the other things represented. Sarah said nothing when Sam mentioned hell, and he didn't elaborate on it, both feeling like they were invading Dean's privacy by talking about it.

"So basically, it is like you have angel vision. But a bit better then the angels. They could see it all too, just... It wasn't as uncomfortable." Sam said with a smile and Sarah frowned, though still maintained her smile.

"So you're saying I have a gentle touch?" Sarah immediately buried her head in her hands, probably blushing like crazy behind them. "I didn't mean it like that!"

"And I didn't even thought you meant it like that until you hid away." Sam laughed while Sarah shook her head, still covering her face with her hands. When she wouldn't drop them, Sam thought a change of subject would be best.

"So, what else can you do?" He asked and Sarah finally took her hands off her face still not making eyes contact.

"Dean... Dean told me I can smite. I am not sure what that means, but considering I vaporized a vampire to ashes... I... I don't like that." She admitted. And now it was clear to Sam why she was nervous and reluctant to go out.

Sarah was scared. She was terrified something might happen and she would blow again, detonate like a nuclear bomb and wipe everything around her from existence. She was terrified she would hurt Dean or someone innocent.

"I get it. It must have scared you to see that and then to find out you did that. But I am pretty sure you were affected by your emotion there and if you could keep them in check..." Sam tried.

"How can I keep my emotions in check and everyone else's too?! I felt it. I felt how scared Dean was back there. For me. He was scared for me..." Sarah burst out yelling, but as she kept going her words slowly toned down into whisper.

"You mean, you felt Dean's emotions too and they... Oh. I get it. He was being beaten and.. And instead of fearing for his own life, he was worried about you and it... It upset you didn't it?" He could hear her shaky breath as she was looking down on her hands in her lap and he could see her lip trembling as she spoke, still not looking up.

"He is... He is soooo... So consumed with how everyone else is, and he pays no attention to himself. So worried about everyone else around him, you especially and he... He needs to stop and to look after himself a bit too."

Finally, she looked up and straight into Sam's eyes "He needs to know he is important too."

Sam watched her with curiosity as she hung her head down again, unable to sustain his piercing eyes. She practically just accused him of not taking care of his brother, and even if she knew it wasn't what she wanted to say, she could only hope Sam understood why she said it.

"You really care about him, don't you?" He finally broke the silence and Sarah's only response was a quiet nod as she closed her eyes.

"Then maybe you can do what I never could. Maybe you can make him see his worth." Sam replied. Sarah's eyes snapped back on him, surprised at first, but then she nodded, the promise silent that she will try.

"And the smiting thing... You protected him. And you healed his wounds." Sam said, giving Sarah some reassurances.

"I... I did?" She asked astounded.

"The broken leg? You're a nurse, you know those don't heal _that_ fast." Sam said with raised brows making a point.

"I... I always knew it had to be something... But he just... He mentioned someone named Jack and I figured Jack must have..." Sarah ranted, coming to the realization it wasn't Jack. It was her all along.

"See... You _are_ good for him." Sam teased.

"But I... I put him to sleep. Twice!" Sarah argued.

"Did you mean to do it?"

"No." Sarah said in a slightly pouting manner, knowing that Sam was trying to tell her it isn't her fault.

"There, see. With some things you just need practice. I bet you couldn't control in whose soul you peek into at first." Sam commented.

"I... I guess I learned." Sarah said with a shrug.

"Ok, so it is the same with the rest. You know you can put someone to sleep, you just need to figure out how you did it. Why don't..." Sam said, and then shifted in his chair into a more comfortable position. "... Why don't you try it on me?"

"What?!" Sarah was completely baffled by his idea.

"Look at it this way... Putting me to sleep is the least dangerous of the other of your powers and if you succeed you can just wake me up." Sam explained. He would spend the next hour convincing her to try, saying it isn't that big of a deal and that she needs a way to learn. Finally after the managed to persuade her, she spent another half an hour trying to put him to sleep, unsuccessful.

"Ok, how about we take a break?" Sam offered and she agreed offering some sandwiches she had. So they sat down and ate, Sam urging her to explain the exact situations she put Dean to sleep, finally reaching to the point. Dean looked tired and worn out, and she was concerned, wishing he would take a moment to himself.

"Well, there you go. You just gotta take that sympathy and channel it and poof, I am asleep. Try it." Sam said taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Maybe after you're finished eating?" Sarah offered with a raised brow. Much to her surprise, Sam just stuffed the rest of his sandwich in his mouth, chewed a bit and then said, mouth full "Fere! Waw done." Sarah rolled her eyes at him, but still smiled. He was trying to get her to relax, it was too obvious. But did the trick anyway.

She waited for him to swallow, took a deep breath, released it and nodded. She set her hand on his, closed her eyes and focused on her own breath. She tried to see through Sam and his facade, to see what makes him tired and what he needs rest from. There was a quoted this and Sarah opened her eyes to see Sam was fast asleep, his head leaning left on the wall next to him, and slowly slipping out of the chair.

She smiled brightly, thinking " _I did it! I actually did it!"_ , noticing a second too late that Sam was going to fall off the chair. She jumped, but by the time she rounded the table to reach him, he was already down on the ground, one leg bent awkwardly and a hand hung on the chair he was sitting on. Not a restful position, that's for sure.

"Oh, for the love of..." Sarah grunted as she tried to lift Sam up. "Guess never needed that frying pan." She tried to hide her nervousness behind a bit of humor, like Dean does, but it didn't help. Sam weighted a ton and she couldn't move him nor could she wake him. She pulled and pulled, first his arm and then his leg, but he wouldn't budge. She shook him and called out to him, but there wasn't any point. Sam was dead asleep.

"Ok... Ok, think. Think... " Sarah started to panic a little, she put him to sleep and she couldn't wake him. The logical thing would be to call Dean for help, he would know what to do. But... What will he say? Would he resent her, blame her? Oh! What will Julia say? The woman already disliked her, it was obvious, and if she finds out Sarah did this to Sam...

"Oh, crap!"

* * *

Sam walked the empty streets of a familiar town, but he couldn't quite remember how he knew it. The big city was abandoned, trash littering the streets and plants growing everywhere, but with a somber colour to it. The streets were silent and dirty and just too damn familiar.

He wondered around, not a sound but his own footsteps to disturb the silence. Not an animal in sight, not a gust of wind. He walked by one, then another then and then another of those wooden electrical posts, not once noticing the words etched in them. The air around him was stiff and dry and almost unbreathable. There was no sun in the sky, just a large grey canvas without even a cloud to break the monotony.

He walked the roads alone, the shadows of reapers following him unseen.

He walked and he walked, sad, scared and confused, an itch in his left hand unsettling, no matter how many times he scratched it.

And then there it was. The most beautiful, vivid garden he has ever seen, in a dead center of all that concrete. And there it was, a rose bush right in the middle of that breathtaking place Sam suspected he had no business being in. And right in the middle of that thorny bush was one, just one bright red rose.

"Beautiful isn't it?" A voice that should have startled him, actually didn't, sounding too soothing for his troubled mind. He didn't even look to see who was behind him, his eyes focused on that rose, the bright red color that represented the only life in this God forsaken place.

"One of the rare things He made that I actually liked." his own voice spoke, but it didn't come from his throat.

"Do you like Roses, Sam?" His own eyes watched him, moving closer to the flower. He was wearing that pure white suit, a small red handkerchief the only thing standing out. A strangely familiar smile adorned His face as He walked towards the bush.

"Honestly, I think flowers are... Overrated. - He said and turned to Sam - But even you have to admit there is a certain beauty that makes this one... Kinda dangerous. Don't you think so, Sam?" He asked caressing the pedals. Sam still seemed mesmerized by the rose, never noticing He was leaning in to smell it.

"Smells divine. Why don't you try? Just be careful and don't touch the thorns. We don't want you to cut yourself, now, do we, Sam?" He asked seductively, clearly wanting Sam to do just that. Sam reached with his right hand to touch the rose and bring it closer when another voice interrupted him.

"Sam?"

Sam blinked his daze away, and frowned. "Sarah?"

Sarah seemed to be torn between him and another Him standing side by side.

"Sam... - she said, looking at the real Sam with uncertainty -... I need you to wake up, Sam."

"Wake up?"

"Yes, Sam. I... I did it. I put you to sleep. But now I can't wake you up and I need you to help me. So... Come with me and let's... Let's wake up." Sarah said glancing over at Him.

"But Sam just wanted to stop and smell the roses. Didn't you, Sam?" Said He.

"Come on, Sam. Let's go... Let's go wake up." She said ignoring what He said, but now keeping a wary eye on Him.

"But it is so beautiful, Sam. Look at it. Look at how it shines so bright in this dark..." He offered, motioning his hand at the flower, making Sam look at it.

"Sam. Let's go wake up, Sam." Sarah said in a calm manner, her untrusting eyes never looking away from His as he reached her hand out to Sam. Sam looked at her and then to her hand, and after a moment he took it.

The red handkerchief in His left pocket started to bleed, forming a large stain on His cloud white suit and He sighed. His apperance that mimicked Sam up to that point slowly dessipated, revealing a slightly shorter man with blue eyes and dark blond hair.

"Almost had you there, Sam." He said with a smile, not as sassy as Sam remembered.

"You never had me." Sam replied taking Sarah's hand and closing his eyes.

They both woke up gasping, Sam sprayed on the floor, and Sarah sitting by the bed on the ground herself. She remembered DocZ mentioned she could dreamwalk, so she sat next to Sam and tried her hardest to fall asleep, focusing on him.

When Sam woke, he immediately looked up at her and sighed in slight relief before he got up. Sarah followed suit, but remained quiet, deep in thought. They said nothing for a while, just getting back to reality, settling their minds.

Sam was the first to speak. "So you can dreamwalk too, huh?" Sarah just nodded, still quiet. It would be another five minutes or so that she finally managed to say something, managed to ask, feeling sorry for ever invading his privacy like that. But she needed to know.

"That was him, wasn't it? That was Lucifer?"

"He is just another nightmare that hunts me." Sam replied looking out the window.

"No. He is a bit more then that. He is the leftover grace from the real thing trying to reconnect to you." Sarah said. "The red liquid around your soul." She added worried.

Sam huffed and said, finally looking over at her. "We all have our demons to bare. Mine just so happens to be the Devil himself. But he won't... Take over. He can't. Especially not now."

"Because he is dead?" Sarah asked curiously and saw Sam genuinely smile at her.

"Because now I have something to fight for."


	4. When the angels fall

"Were there any scorch marks on the scene? Do you have photos? Was there a strange blade at the scene?" Dean shot one question after another, glaring at Ellen pissed, with a flicker of fear in those forest greens of his. Ellen was in slight shock by his sudden change in behavior, and just stared at him, baffled and silent. It was Julia who finally interrupted him.

"You know this guy?"

Dean gave her a look that would cut down any demon, but not Julia. She just frowned at him, still expecting an answer. Dean took a deep breath. This wasn't her fault and he should try and calm down before he does or says something he will regret later.

"He is family." was all he said, gritting his teeth as he spoke, then looked back at Ellen expectedly. The coroner looked between the hunters, uncertain, but after Julia gave her a nod, she spoke up.

"No scorch marks that I know of, but I wasn't at the scene. All photos and evidence are at the police department so you will have to go check there." She said.

"You found anything on him, any strange marks or..." Dean started but was cut off by Julia.

"Ellen and I both know about what is out there, Dean – she said in a annoyed manner – why don't you just tell us what are you looking for exactly?" He was acting like they were civilians, like they didn't know what was out there. Ellen has seen her fare share of dismembered bodies with missing hearts and vampire bite marks. She knows what black ooze in a body means and has seen all kinds of wounds consistent with various weapons or super strength that could be found in the supernatural world. They have seen it all.

"Sigils or similar symbols, painted or burnt in his skin." Dean said. They mentioned before she had no clear cause of death, and by the looks of it, Cas wasn't killed. He was just... Out of his vessel. But where was he, and how did it happen? What has the power to pull an angel out of his vessel like that?

"Nothing like that. He does have a hickey, though." Ellen said, lifting a piece of sheet to reveal a small love bite down by Castiel's collarbone. Dean's mouth almost dropped. _A hickey? Could he have... No, that was..._

 _A succubus. A mutated kind. Or a parasite. That must be it. Something leeched onto him and... And..._ Deans mind tried to rationalize, but then he remembered what Julia said at breakfast.

Cas was found naked in her bed. They met in a bar and left together. "A...Any..." Dean tried, suddenly finding his throat too dry. He took a moment and cleared his throat before he spoke again. "Any signs of sexual activity?" Either he was taking this whole FBI thing too seriously, or he was embarrassed by the question he asked. If this was anyone else, Dean would just ask if they had sex.

"Undetermined. – Ellen said – but by the looks of her apartment, they had a wild night." Dean shook his head, trying to get out the image of Cas... getting physical with a woman like that.

"What is with you?" Julia asked seeing Dean's odd behaviour.

"It's just... He and sex..." He shook his head some more. It all just seemed so wrong. Cas was never into that, the only time he even had sex was with that reaper that tried to... That killed him afterwards. All other attempts went sideways, no matter how good of a wingman Dean was. And then later... He just stopped trying to get his friend laid. There were always more important things to do, save the world, kill the bad guy... That sort of thing.

"What? Was he a monk or something?" Julia asked huffing a laugh, completely disrespectful of the fact that Dean's friend laid on a cold steel table before them. Dean might have reacted to it more harshly if was certain his friend was dead and not out there somewhere. So he replied with unquestionable gravity in his voice that told Julia to back the fuck down.

"No, he isn't a monk. He is an angel."

Both women stared at him with disbelief and shock for a moment before looking down on the body. Both of them dealt with a few supernatural creatures, but angels? They knew of their existence but considering they were practically extinct now, they have never met one.

To Ellen, the condition of the body made more sense now. Angel's didn't need to use certain organs, so that would explain why they were half decayed. The person that was once there probably moved on a long time ago, and since there weren't any fatal wounds, the angel must have vacated the body.

And that would mean that Diana didn't kill him.

"I need to go. I need to find out what exactly happened and where Cas is." Dean said heading for the door pulling his phone out.

"Wait a minute! – Julia yelled after him as she caught up – I came here to help my friend, and she clearly didn't kill anyone. I need to find a way to clear her name."

She might seem a bit selfish, but she was right, Dean can't just focus on his friend and ignore hers. Diana was innocent, she did nothing but socialize with an angel and she was going to spend the rest of her life incarcerated because of it.

Dean sighed halting, and dropped the phone back in his pocket before he turned to face her. "I know. I know we do, but the only way we can do that if to find out what happened. And find Cas." He had a point. and Julia knew that.

"Ok." She said after a moment of thinking it through. "We can start at her apartment; it is only two blocks away. Then we will go to the precinct."

* * *

Dean watched her pick a lock while he was supposed to stand watch, and he was a bit impressed by her skills. Within a minute, she opened the door and stepped inside as Dean followed.

The place was small, but still somehow spacious, not much unnecessary furniture. It was clean and tidy, and had a feel of a lonely home. It had pictures of friends and family, but only her stuff. One wardrobe, one lazy chair. Table for one. It has small trinkets that spoke of her character and her likes and it had a few dozen lore books.

Julia showed Dean one of the pictures that had Diana and her smiling, bloody and bruised after a hunt; displayed in the middle of her living room. Dean raised a brow, curious, and Julia just explained that Diana would say it was taken during Halloween to anyone who didn't know about supernatural. She seemed so familiar to Dean, but he just couldn't place her.

Aside for some of her clothes scattered around the bedroom, nothing seemed odd. Sure she had a hidden box in the bottom of her closet that the copes overlooked and like a true hunter, it had some charms and some specific weapons along with a jar of, what Dean assumed was lamb blood. Good thing they missed that.

Dean's eyes fell on the bed. He was trying to figure out what Cas might have been doing, why was he with Diana. He remembered the piece of paper with her name on it that he stuffed in his jacket pocket back in the morgue and pulled it out now.

"Whatcha got there?" Julia asked. Dean handed her the piece of paper, never looking away from the bed, still deep in thought. Julia read the paper, read her friends name, the name of the bar and a date from a month ago. 'What... What is this? What does it mean? Where did you find it?"

"Found it in Cas's trenchcoat. It means he was after her for some reason." Dean said.

"What?! Why would he be after her?" Julia asked, sounding pissed off. The old Dean would have probably snapped back at her, sick and tired of her yelling, but he was to worried about his friend right now. A friend who he hasn't spoken to in too long, and the last words that he did say to him... Dean felt some strange guilt press down on him. He might have reconciled with Cas, but he never really let go of the anger he felt towards him, because the angel didn't tell him about Jack's condition. About Jack possibly being soulless. He might have had a heart to heart with him, he might have prayed to him back in Purgatory, but he... He never could let it go.

"Earth to Dean! Answer me! Why would he be after her?" Julia asked anger bottling inside of her.

"I don't know." Dean replied silently. "Maybe she knew something or she was in trouble... I don't know." He added, sounding deflated. Nothing in this apartment told him what he needed to know, an she felt like this whole case would have him running in circles. He didn't even start, but already felt like he was fighting a loosing battle.

A notification sound of his phone brought him back again and he took it out of his pocket and checked his messages. The new one was from Sarah asking him if he got Sam's message, how his hunt was going and there was a kissing emoji and he just had to smile, feeling a notch better then he was a second ago.

There was also a few minutes older message from Sam. "Your girlfriend knocked me out, put me to sleep. Did you know she could dream walk?" Dean instantly knew Sam was intrigued by what he wrote, just by the tone of the message. Dean didn't know she could do that, but some of his dreams did make sense now, and he smiled, remembering the beach and the kiss in the water. Wait..

What about the...

"Dean?! It's like I am talking to a lamppost here! Geeze!" Julia said throwing her hand up in the air dramatically.

"Ok, alright. Lemme call Sam and then we will go to the precinct." Dean said with an eye roll and dialed Sam's number. He put it on the speaker and let it ring.

" _You're on speaker._ " Sam answered.

"Yeah, so are you." Dean said and heard Sam laugh.

" _Dude, you have one powerful girlfrie_..."

"Sam." Dean cut him off, a single word saying so much of the gravity of the situation.

" _What happened?_ " Sam replied, his tone equally serious.

"It's Cas. The victim, it's Cas." A few moments of silence pasted as Sam processed before he asked.

" _Is he..."_

"No, as far as I could tell. It is just the empty vessel, I think he might be out there..."

" _Ok, I am changing and coming..."_ Sam said, a ruffling sound in the back.

"No, stay there with Sarah. I'll call you if I need you. We will head out to the police station and see if we can talk to...Diana." He said looking up a Julia and seeing her nod in agreement.

" _Ok, I will see what I can dig up from this side. I'm gonna hack the police server to find the case file. What's her last name?"_ Sam said and Dean could hear some more ruffling sounds and just knew Sam was already fishing out his laptop.

"Ballard. Case file 0207-091106." Julia said.

" _Ballard? Did you say her name is Diana Ballard?"_ Sam questioned.

"Yeah, why?" Juls replied.

" _Cuz we know her. I mean it was... Wow, 15 years ago, but... Remember Dean, Baltimore, the ghost of that girl? Turned out she was trying to warn people of that detective..."_

 _"_ Sheridan." Dean supplied. Yeah, now he remembered. Diana was the one to save them in the end and set them free when the sirens were heard. "I remember. See what you can dig up on this case and if you can, check out what can expel an angel out of his vessel. A regular angel. We are headed to the precinct now." Dean said with some newfound determination.

Logically, he knew that there were only a few things that can expel an angel. His host, the hyperbolic pulse generator and Amara. Two of those things were out of the question. Amara, if she was even around wouldn't do this and Jimmy is long gone, so that just leaves the egg. They certainly researched the topic enough. Well, Sam did anyway. So Dean doubted his brother would find anything new now.

* * *

The precinct was just like any other in a big city like Baltimore. Filled with an equal amount of uniforms and paper-pushers, a few criminals giving statements. Julia was apparently known a bit here, as an FBI agent Julia Evans, and she introduced him as her new partner, FBI agent Dean Plant.

As they were sitting in detective Lang's office, Dean just had to ask. "So, I guess you're into Chris Evans, huh?"

"Who the heck is Chris Evans?" Julia asked with a frown and Dean looked astounded.

"Chris Evans... You know... The guy that plays Captain America?"

Julia rolled her eyes and pff-ed in slight disgust. "Not into pretty blonds, thank you very much."

"But... The last name..." Dean was confused a bit. He was sure she would be into someone like the strong silent American hero type. Everyone loved Captain America.

"Dave Evans, AC/DC lead vocal... You're not the only one to use band members names as aliases." Julia said flat out, seemingly bored and indifferent. "And if you ask me, Tony Stark is way better then Captain America. He didn't have his power handed to him, he built it with his own hands."

The mechanic and rock lover in Dean just started to appreciate Julia a bit more.

Lang waltzed angrily into the office startling Dean while Julia all of a sudden developed an interest in her nails, not once looking up at the detective.

"You think you can come here, flash your little badge and spring her out, don't you?! I don't care who you are, she was caught red handed and you can't save her from this one!" Lang yelled, not even bothering to introduce himself to Dean or shake his hand. Dean watched as Julia seemed totally unphased by his shouts, polishing her nails on her suit jacket. The detective stared at her, fuming.

She let him roast for a good few minutes before she finally looked at him and sat up strength. "We just wanna talk to her." She said with a charming smile and a small shrug.

"No. Wait, let me rephrase that. Hell NO! I am not going to let you here and do your little weird investigation and end up freeing the only suspect I have. I don't care she is your friend, I don't care that you known her for ten years, I don't care that everyone here knew her, I won't allow..."

His desk phone rang interrupting him and suddenly the room got a lot more tense. Lang frowned, glaring at Julia while she still sported her smile and raised an eyebrow glancing at the ringing phone. Dean felt like he was at a western showdown. For a few seconds nobody moved, not even that fly on the wall behind Lang.

Then the detective deflated and picked up the phone. "Hello... Yes, this is... Yes, sir, I... Very well... I will do as... " Whoever was on the other line clearly hung up on him.

"Oh, I wonder who that was..." Julia could be so bitchy sometimes.

"You know very well who that was." Lang answered through clenched teeth.

"Wait, don't tell me... It was director Gibbons telling you to let us conduct our own investigation, wasn't it?" She asked. Dean was amazed by her performance and wondered only for a moment who could pose as an FBI director on her behalf. Probably her father. Probably using ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons as an alias. He had to admit, she was good. They never came up with the idea of having somebody call ahead, posing as a FBI director and open the way for them.

Lang stood up and they followed, exiting his office. He waved a cop over and told him to bring Ballard to interrogation room and then lead them there. As they say and waited, Lang circling them like a vulture, he spoke."You know you won't get a word out of her, right?" He asked looking a bit smug about it.

"Why don't you run along and fetch us coffee. You remember, I take my black." She replied and looked over at Dean.

"Same here." Dean added, realizing this is actually the first time he spoke since they entered the station. Lang was beyond pissed and stormed out of the room. Both Juls and Dean exchanged glances, knowing they will be watched from the other room through the one side mirror.

The cop came in, gently pushing Diana into the room. The detective looked exactly like Dean remembered her, light brown hair with blond highlights, standing straight and proud, only her light brown eyes were unfocused, lost somewhere in the distance.

Julia asked the cop politely about her condition and he replied that she eats and does the basic physiological things, moves when directed to a place, but aside from those basic functions she doesn't do anything else. She doesn't speak or make eye contact or acknowledge in any way that she heard or understood what has been said to her. He lead her to a chair and she sat down, staring somewhere in the distance. The cop nodded sadly and left the room. Dean figured he knew the detective and was worried to see her like this.

Julia stood up and came to Diana, pulled her hands into hers as she crouched next to her. "D, it's me, it's Juls." She looked at her expectedly, as if she was hoping to get any kind of a reaction out of her, hoping she was faking it until help got there. No such luck, Diana didn't move at all, just kept staring in the distance. Like she wasn't even there. "C'mon, D. You gotta talk to me, you gotta give me something. I know you didn't do this, I know..." Julia trailed off before she said too much, knowing they were being watched. "Come on, girl, I need to find out what happened, and I need your help." Julia pleaded in vain. She flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see Dean's comforting look on his face as he squeezed her shoulder, shaking his head sadly.

He knew Julia wouldn't be able to get through to her, he has seen something similar before with a kid who saw something in a lake that scared him so bad he stopped responding. But this seemed like a worse case and considering an angel was involved, her condition wasn't surprising. She must have seen something mayor happen, something that would drive her into this state.

The worst part was that she saw, she knew what happened to Cas, and she was their only lead, their only chance of getting him back and clearing her name.

They needed to know what she knew. They needed to know what happened. And Dean just might have an idea how to make that happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am pretty sure you guessed what idea came to Dean's mind, but I would still like to see what you think. What will Dean do? And anyone care to guess where Cas is?


	5. An angel beside me

"You want us to do what?!" Sam asked in disbelief, staring at his brother. Julia and Dean made it back to the hotel by noon and that's where Dean presented his crazy idea.

"Pretend to be her lawyer. Sarah could be your assistant, or a student, or whatever. That's the only way to get to her and for Sarah to try and get a read on her without the cameras on you. You know, all that lawyer-patient confidentiality..."

"You mean lawyer – client confidentiality?" Sam corrected with a raised brow.

"You know what I mean!" Dean rolled his eyes.

'Dean, that isn't just that easy. It isn't like flashing a badge and walking into a police station. They are going to need proper paperwork..." Sam started.

"...That we can fake..." Julia supplied, and Sam gave her a sideways glance before continuing.

"...and they will be wondering where I was and why am I popping up now." He countered.

"I called you. I can vouch that you're her new lawyer and we can batch up a fake power of attorney." Julia explained and Sam signed. He knew his brother could come up with some... interestingly stupid ideas, but he hoped she would take his side on these matters, even if he knew she was too much like his brother in almost any area. Except for the eyes.

She could pull such amazing puppy dog eyes that would even put Sam to shame.

Sam signed. The two ganged up on him and he knew he was cornered. He knew Sarah wouldn't like this, but she wouldn't say no to Dean. Sam glanced her way and then at Dean, squinting his eyes, having a nonverbal conversation with him, telling him to talk to Sarah. To ask her if she was ok with this and not just expect her to use her powers whenever it was convenient for them. Dean immediately picked up on what Sam was trying to say, and looked down on the ground slightly ashamed.

"Fine. I'll go change and then we have to go make some fake credentials and... Sarah will need an outfit." Sam said urging Julia out of the door to their room. Once they were there, Julia frowned, feeling like she was shoved out of the room.

"What's up with you?" She asked. Sam did seem a bit pissed off by their general behavior and she saw that silent interaction between him and Dean, but she didn't understand any of it. To her question, Sam signed and ran his hand down his face. He took a moment and then turned his attention towards her.

"I know this is your friend, I get that. It is our friend that's in trouble too. But you can't just go there and expect Sarah to use her powers on someone like that. At least you both could have done is asked her first. Nobody asked if she would be ok with this." Sam tried to calmly explain.

"Why wouldn't she be ok with it? From what I understand she has been doing it most of her life, so what's the big deal?" Julia asked with an eye roll and Sam sighed again. They haven't really explained to Julia what Sarah is and that her powers are growing, but regardless, she was being impolite about this. Maybe he should try and explain.

"Sarah's powers are growing, changing and she is a bit scared to use them, she is scared she might hurt somebody, so to just come and put her in a situation like this, without even asking if she would be ok with it is a little inconsiderate and..." Sam tried, but was cut off mid sentence by Julia.

"What, the little freak can't handle some pressure? Maybe she shouldn't be with hunters then."

Sam just stared at her, mouth open, shocked. Julia rolled her eyes as she said it and looked away pouting, but when there was no response from Sam, she looked back at him. The look on his face said it all. She went too far.

"Sam, I..." She tried, but he shook his head, lifting a hand to stop her from speaking. He went to the closet and pulled out his suit, picked up his bag and went towards the bathroom to go and change. He slammed the door as he entered and Julia visibly flinched. She went too far, she knew she went too far.

Sarah wasn't even that bad, she is shy and constantly smiling and she makes great meals, her pies are just to die for, she had nothing against her, not really. She was a bit wary of her powers, and maybe didn't fully trust her, but she didn't really know her either.

Sam soon came out dressed in a suit and she tried to talk to him again, but he just raised his hand again, put his stuff back and left the room, not waiting up for her.

When Juls and Sam left the room, Dean took a deep breath and looked over at Sarah. She was sitting at the table by the window, drinking coffee. She looked at him with a small smile. "It's ok. I get it." She just said.

Of course she would know. She saw how Sam looked at him after glancing her way and she felt the sudden shame within Dean. Dean came up to her and crouched down, taking her hands in his.

"No, it's not. I should have asked you first." He said looking up at her.

She smiled that beautiful smile that warmed him up like only a sun could, and caressing his hand, she replied "You know I would have agreed."

Yeah, Dean knew that all too well. She would do whatever he asked. He sighed and smiled back at her, her hand coming up to his cheek. He leaned into her touch and allowed her to lead his head to his lap. And as she ran her hand through his hair, a question unintentionally slipped out.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

Sarah huffed a smile, leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Same thing I did to deserve you." She replied and he laughed too. Not so long ago he said the exact same thing to her when she asked him that. "It's ok, Dean. We're going to find your friend and help that woman."

"I hope so." Dean replied getting up with a grunt. "We should go, Sam and Julia are probably waiting for us." He said and then paused, looking back at her as Sarah stood up. "Are... Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes, I am sure. From what Sam told me, if it wasn't for Castiel, both of you would be dead, and if I can do something to help him, then there is no question about it." Sarah replied with a warm smile.

* * *

Sam was sitting in the passenger seat, angrily tapping his fingers over the passenger door. Julia was in the back, sulkingly staring out the opposite window. Dean and Sarah just exchanged glances, both shrugged not sure what happened between the two and walked towards the car. Dean naturally sat in the driver's seat, and Sarah climbed in next to Julia.

The ride to the nearest mall was tense and quiet, both Dean and Sarah wondering what the fight was about, to make Sam so pissed and Julia angry but sad. Dean knew well Sam is usually more easy going and it had to be something serious for his to be like this. He didn't really know Julia, but that seemed like _I-was-wrong-but-I-won't-admit-it_ pout he had seen in women (and maybe he pulled that look too, but he would never admit it). Sarah probably felt their exact emotions but she didn't really know them, so she couldn't act upon it.

Dean parked in the mall parking and they all got out of the car. He was caught by surprise when Sam announced that he and Dean would go and get the credentials and that Julia will go and help Sarah find a proper outfit. He didn't ask her if she would, he didn't make a suggestion, he just... Gave an order. To Dean, he never looked like John as much as he did now. And the weirdest thing, Julia didn't fume, didn't object, she just glanced at him and then down to the ground. _What did she do?_ Dean had to wonder. Only a handful of times has he seen Sam like this and it never ended pretty.

The moment the girls took off in a different direction, Dean tried to ask Sam what that was all about, but Mr. Feelings apparently didn't want to talk about it. And of course Dean being Dean, he didn't want to push and end up in a chick flick moment, but it did worry him. Hopefully they will resolve it, because Dean has seen how this relationship has made Sam just a bit more energized and... Well, happy.

Julia was being real pissy as she stomped through the mall while they were looking for the right store. Sarah followed her, quiet and unseen. She stopped at one and pff-ed at the clothes on display before moving on. At the second one she just rolled her eyes. Finally the third time's the charm.

Julia looked through some outfits, shoving the hangers in a bit of a rough manner while Sarah just looked around. She would pull one out, set it against Sarah, startling her and then just head dismissively. Eventually she ended up with five different outfits that thought would fit Sarah and sent her to the booth to try out.

With every outfit dismissal, Sarah grew more and more confused and it was upon the frown and the head shake of the fourth one that she just had to ask : "I don't understand. What is wrong with the other outfits, and this one too?"

Julia finally looked up at her faces and sighed. Strangely enough, Sarah expected her to roll her eyes and probably say something like ' _Cuz they don't make you look like a lawyer's assistant.'_ or something similar. Maybe even yell at her, considering how pissed she seemed. But with that sigh, Julia's anger deflated and she just simply said "Because they don't look good on you."

Sarah was surprised by that, but she didn't know what to say, so she just turned back to the booth to try that fifth suit. Julia felt... Awkward. She was angry at herself at first for what she said, but that anger slowly ate her up and was threatening to turn her sad, so she needed to focus on something else. She thought finding something that Sarah looked good in would make her feel better, but it didn't.

Maybe she should try and connect with her, talk. But... Talk about what?

"So, how was your morning with Sam?" She finally blurted out, sounding genuinely curious and without a hint of jealousy. She might have felt different about her... Boyfriend with another girl in a motel room, but she knew, she could see how much Sarah cared for Dean. And the other way around.

"It was ok, it was... Good, I guess? I managed to knock him out." Sarah said from her booth.

"You what?" Julia practically shouted and then quickly got closer to the booth. People were already watching them, they didn't need to hear them too. Sarah stuck her head out through the curtain, a bit glad to find that Julia came closer and that she could explain quietly.

"I put him to sleep. He wanted to see the extend of my powers and... This is new to me, but I guess I can put people to sleep, and he wanted to see how it worked. I guess it was a test to see how I do it... You know, so that I wouldn't do it to someone by accident." Sarah spoke in hushed tones, carefully watching and feeling Julia's reaction. She didn't know what to expect, and was slightly surprise to feel some sort of understanding coming from Julia.

An image of Dean falling asleep behind the wheel while they were doing ninety on the freeway flashed before her eyes.

Guess Juls finally heard what Sam was trying to tell her.

"That's... That's good. Right?" Julia asked. "I mean, it helped, right?"

Sarah went back inside the booth to finish getting dressed, and spoke through the curtain. "Yeah, it helped a lot. Sam... He just understands it all. I mean I care about Dean and he gets it, but it is different with Sam. I guess having been through a similar experience gave him some insight..."

Sarah opened the curtain to show Julia the latest outfit and was instantly hit with a wave of regret seeping of Julia. Concern showed upon her face as she came closer, but didn't touch the huntress, figuring it would be a wrong move. "Julia, are you ok? What is it?"

"I... I..." Julia tried, her mind still screaming at her. How could she have forgotten? How could she have said that... To HIM? _Idiot! You're such a fucking idiot!_ She knew about Sam's past, about what was done to him and about what he did, and she told him it was ok, she told him that deep down he was a good person and that it did't matter. She told him she could never hold it against him for the things that were done to him and for being manipulated.

And then she goes and opens her big mouth and say something like that... Anger flooded her before sadness washed over and if she was a girly girl, she would start crying right now.

"Hey, it's ok... Whatever it is, we can figure it out..." Sarah tried and reached out to her. Julia's eyes snapped at her, anger flashing upon them and replaced quickly by more sadness.

"No, I... I fucked up." Julia said shaking her head and then looked back up at Sarah. And it made her stomach churn that Sarah was looking at her with such comfort and understanding and _God why does she have to be soooo..._ Julia wanted to scream at her not to look at her like that, she wanted to tell her to turn around and leave her alone, but all she ended up was sighing heavily and screwing her eyes shut.

"C'mon, whatever it is, I am sure..." Sarah started but, Julia cut her off.

"I called you a freak." Julia blurted out, a part of her wanting to add that she was sorry for it, a part of her made her stay quiet, wishing Sarah would get mad at her.

Sarah paused, blinking and processing the information, quickly figuring out that was the reason Sam was so angry with Julia. She could feel that Julia was sorry and especially now that she remembered Sam was considered a freak once too.

"So?" Sarah finally said. This wasn't about her, not really, and even though Julia was clearly sorry for saying that, she didn't really mean it like that. There was some mistrust between them, but Julia didn't look at her with disgust like some people from her past did. She wanted to let Julia know it was ok, that she wouldn't hold it against her, but somehow seem to know that normal approach wouldn't work. She wasn't like Sam, a person you could just come up to and talk. She was a lot like Dean and to her, actions spoke more then words.

"You're a freak too." Sarah added. Julia gawked her eyes at her in complete bewilderment. _Did she just say...?_

"I mean you hunt vampires and werewolves and ghost and witches and demons... And most of the world would call you crazy if you told them what you do. You fight ghosts with salt and trap demons with some paint." Sarah said with a smile. "Seriously, what, you just behead a vampire and go off to lunch, who does that? Oh, look, I just shot a werewolf, and I am all scratched and bloody, let's go for waffles." By the time she was done, they were both laughing. And as much as Sarah wanted to add something, to say something, the way that Julia looked at her, it was all clear. No words needed and for the first time, the two of them established their very first unspoken conversation.

After a few minutes of laughing and head shaking, Julia looked at Sarah and gave her a once over. "You know, this navy blue suit looks best on you. Think we can get this one."

"Really?" Sarah beamed up, glad that playing dress-up might finally be over.

"Yup. Let's go pay for it and then... I feel like eating some waffles." Julia said and they both broke into laughter.

And that's how Dean and Sam found them, laughing about something and eating waffles at a nearby coffee shop, but as soon as they neared them, Julia quieted down and lowered her eyes. Sarah gave Sam a meaningful look, but she could feel he wouldn't just let it go that easily.

"Oookeeeyy... - Dean said looking between them all, feeling a bit left out - We got the paperwork and fake credentials done, can we get waffles too?"

"Um, no time - Julia said looking up at him - it is almost 3 pm, we gotta get to the station." Dean gave her a pouty look, and she smiled at him before she reached and picked up a paper bag that was on the table. "We got you waffles to go." And just like that, Dean's pout turned into a smile, Sarah huffed a smile too, while Sam, playing Mr. Grumpy just rolled his eyes at them.

And as they walked back to the car, Julia and Sam walking before them, Dean held the bag of waffles in one hand, and wrapped the other around Sarah's waist, pulling her closer, close enough to whisper in her ear. "Damn that suit looks hot on you." Sarah smiled with a blush.

* * *

Finally managing to convince detective Lang that Sam Wesson was in fact Diana Ballard's new lawyer, showing him a new power of attorney and having Julia back that up, as her friend, Sam and Sarah were seated in the interrogation room, while Julia and Dean made sure that the cameras were off and that the cops were following the police procedure and letting Diana's lawyer have a private conversation with his client. Detective Lang was pissed at their weird attempt, but knew Diana wouldn't talk and that all their efforts were futile.

A few minutes after a cop brought Diana into the room, a loud scream broke through the precinct, making all of them rushing there. Julia was the first to reach the door, a few cops behind her and she was stunned by Sarah as she ran out of the room, her hands covering her face. She was clearly crying, sobbing and somehow managed to run into the girl's bathroom without even looking where she was going. Dean reached them a few seconds later and looked at Julia for an explanation, but she just shrugged and went in the bathroom after Sarah.

Dean ran into the interrogation room followed by detective Lang who kept asking what happened. Diana was sitting in her chair like she did before, eyes distant just like before, still and catatonic. Dean's heart nearly stopped when he saw Sam completely pale, sitting in the opposite chair and not moving at all. Thinking that whatever happened to Diana, happened to Sam too, he came to him, crouched down and shook him, his eyes pleading.

"Sam! Sam?!"

Sam's blank eyes slid and made contact with his brother's and Dean let out a breath of relief.

"Her... Her eyes... Dean... Her eyes..." He muttered and Dean watched in complete confusion as a tear slid down his brother's cheek.

"Sam, what happened? - Dean said glancing at Diana, more specifically her eyes - Who's eyes, what are you talking about?"

"S.. Sarah... Her eyes... Oh, God, Dean, her eyes!"

* * *

Julia ran into the bathroom and immediately found Sarah inside an open stall, kneeling down, her hands covering her face as she cried, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Sarah, what happened?" Julia said as she came up to her. She took her wrists and tried to pull her hands of her face.

"Bright... Too bright..." Sarah cried out, trying to contain her hands on her face, but Julia managed to pull them off just for a second, immediately gasping at the image of the empty sockets and burn marks around where her eyes used to be. Sarah was shaking from shock, looking like she was going to collapse at any moment. Julia paled and was left dumbstruck by what she saw, but quickly snapped out of it, her mind focusing on helping Sarah.

"Jesus Christ! C'mon, we gotta get you to a hospital!" She shouted and reached for Sarah once more. Feeling her shake under her hand, she reached and pulled her, wrapping her arms around her on instinct. "C'mon, it'll be ok... It's going to be ok... We'll fix this... We'll..." She ranted, trying more to convince herself then Sarah. Truth was, she was petrified, worried about Sarah and deep down hoping that she didn't see it well, and that her eyes are still intact.

And then suddenly, Julia felt some strange warmth under her hands and she pulled away to take a better look at Sarah. Her mouth fell open as she stared at the light blue glow emanating from Sarah's hands, and she didn't even notice Sarah's cries tone down to a heavy breathing. Julia gasped once more when Sarah finally brought her hands down and revealed her bright blue eyes glowing in a lighter shade for a second before returning to normal.

Sarah's lips quivered as she looked back into one shocked huntress, still shaking, breathing hard and looking terrified.

Dean chose that moment to run into the room and yell "Oh, thank God!" before rushing towards Sarah and wrapping his arms around her. Sam came running in next, still looking pale, staring in confusion at Sarah for only a moment before sighing in tremendous relief.

And finally, Lang ran into the bathroom and yelled "All right, somebody better tell me what the hell is going on here or I will kick you two out of here and report you two to your superiors at the FBI!" All of them shared a look before Julia stood up, realizing that whatever this was, it definitely wasn't a regular case and that Diana might be in danger to herself or other. "What's going on here is that from this moment the FBI will be taking over this case." She said in a firm commanding tone. "There is so much more to it then we can see and it needs to be investigated thoroughly."

Lang seemed beyond pissed, but he knew he couldn't argue with an FBI agent on this. Still he smirked, feeling glad he was ahead of the bitch of an agent for once and said "Well, investigate all you want, but know that this morning I turned the case to the D.A. and he will be filing a motion for trial tomorrow." That said, he turned and left the room.

Julia closed her eyes heavily. She still needed to find out just what the hell happened in the interrogation room and with Sarah's eyes and now this? Peachy, just peachy. She felt like screaming out to release some of the rage, but tried to control herself. Tried and failed.

"FUCK!"


	6. An angel in my dreams

Dean tossed the keys over to Sam as they rounded a corner away from the precinct, his arms wrapped around Sarah, even though she kept repeating she was fine. Sam nodded and Dean and Sarah hopped in the back while Sam and Juls took the front. Dean never ceased his tight hold over Sarah, and in just a few minutes into the ride, she was fast asleep, drained from whatever it was that happened.

"Wha... What happened back there?" Julia asked looking over at Sam. She knew he didn't have to answer her, she knew he had every right to still be mad at her, but the truth was, this whole thing scared her and she really hoped Sam or Dean would explain.

Sam glanced at Dean in the rearview mirror, but Dean was too focused on the slumbering Sarah to even give a rats ass what was being said. He was caressing her hand with his thumb, a highly worried expression on his face, even if it was evident that Sarah was merely sleeping, her chest going up and down in a steady rhythm.

"She saw an angel's true form." Sam answered blankly.

"She... She did? But that would mean that..." Julia started a bit astounded and Sam finished up for her, in a lower tone, indicating she should keep her voice down.

"Yes, it means Cas is currently possessing Diana." Heavy silence filled the car as each processed what that meant. Both Sam and Dean knew something had to be wrong for Diana to be catatonic. Cas either can't or won't assume control and Diana can't or... They could only hope it isn't something worse.

"Is... Is she gonna be ok?" Julia's slightly worried voice broke the silence and Sam glanced at her to see her looking back. Dean raised his head and looked at her with a uncertain nod and Julia turned back forward. "She... It was..." The image of Sarah's burnt out eyes still haunted Julia's mind, that bone freezing scream and her quiet, too quiet sobs... She unwillingly shivered, and wrapped an arm around herself, mind wondering off to the blueish light in her hands and the buzzing of electricity and then... She was ok. Scared and shocked, but... Ok.

"She... She healed herself. That was healing, wasn't it?" Julia asked looking back at Sam.

"Yes!" Sam snapped, but seemed to stop himself from saying anything else. Still, Julia could hear it in his voice and she shut up, turning her head towards the window and focusing on the outside world. This little exchange didn't escape Dean, but he had Sarah to worry about now.

Once they arrived at the motel, Dean picked her up and carried her to their room, bridal style, as Sam held the door open for him, Julia standing to the side. Sam told him to take care of Sarah and that he'll go and get them some take out. He brushed past Julia and disappeared around the corner, leaving her to just... Stand there.

It wasn't as if she didn't have a key to their room, she did, but she wasn't too eager to go in there. She might have been an idiot and opened her damn mouth when she should have kept it shut, and then that happened... Sarah went through all that just because she tried to help. Julia shook her head and headed for the room. It didn't matter how she felt, not right now. She didn't matter right now.

Sam came back about half an hour later and set two bags on the table. He nudged his head at one as he pushed it towards Juls with just the words "Dinner." They sat and ate in silence, and while she would glance at him a few times, trying to come up with something to say, trying to come up with a way to apologise, his eyes were focused on his laptop and he read through something.

"Sam..." She started, but was cut off.

"We are going to have to find a way to talk to Cas. I just spoke to Dean and he and I both agreed that having Sarah dreamwalk in Diana's mind was out of the question, so we need to find something else. I am gonna do some digging, try to find something. You think you can get the security footage of the bar from that detective?" Sam spoke, never looking at her.

Juls was unsure, the sleeze of the detective was hard to work with, but there were still some cops there that were friends with Diana and they would do anything to help her. And as an agreement, they could always say they were bullied into submitting the evidence to an FBI agent. "I can get it."

"Good." was all Sam said.

Julia glanced at him and let out a silent sigh, finishing up her meal and picking up her phone. She called an officer she knew at the precinct and sweet-talked her into sending her the footage in the morning with promises that she will make it to her wedding and that she already has a plus one. Sam comment, nor any other reaction for that matter. But at least he didn't say he wouldn't go, right?

Oh, who was she kidding? This little slip up blew out of proportion and she didn't know how to start fixing it. Every time she tried to talk to him, he made it clear he didn't want to talk about it, so how was she supposed to say she is sorry? How is she supposed to show him she didn't really mean it? How was she supposed to fix this?

She sighed again, a bit more audibly this time, picked up her bag and took out her PJs. She changed and laid on the bed, her back to Sam and the TV. She covered herself with a blanket and curled up, staring into the wall for over twenty minutes before sleep finally took over. She never noticed Sam glancing back at her a few times, his brows furrowed in consideration, nor has she felt it when he finally turned in for the night and laid beside her, not spooning her, but still wrapping his arms around her in a caring protective manner.

When Dean brought Sarah into the room, grunting as his back hurt slightly, he set her on the bed and plopped next to her almost panting. He really needed to work out more, he wasn't getting any younger and while a things like carrying a lady would come easy to him back in the day, there was nothing easy about this. Emotionally that is. She wasn't like Sam, any trouble she has ever gotten into, she pulled herself out, never needing him, not really. And it was new to him and as weak and defenceless as she seemed, she was so strong sometimes, it felt like she was carrying some of his weight, lightening his load of bad decisions and regrets.

He looked down upon her with a gentle smile and brushed his hand over her cheek and she hummed and leaned into the touch, making his huff a little laugh. She was tired, drained from what happened today and he knew she needed rest. So he got up and walked to her bag, found that pink PJ with Hello Kitty on it and shook his head, smiling. It was a childish, ridiculous thing, and it looked absolutely not flattering on her, but whenever she put it on and added her goofy smile, Dean would always feel a little lighter.

Taking the PJs, he circled to her side and leaned in to unbutton her blouse. She had a jacket, but removed it before attempting to look into Diana's soul and he saw Julia pick it up, and leave it in the car. Slowly he pulled the blouse out of her skirt and lifted her upper body just a bit to get it off of her, leaving her in a skin-colored lace bra, the same one he saw earlier and she promised him she would let him take it off of her. His lips curled in a half smile at the irony of that.

But he was a gentleman and as such, he dressed her before running his hands up her back, undoing the bra and let it slip down. He took off her shoes and massaged each foot for a moment before he unbuttoned her pen skirt and sliding it off. Dean pulled on the bottoms of her PJ and tucked her in before getting undressed himself and climbing in the bed next to her. He fell asleep faster then he thought, his arm crapped around her waist.

* * *

Julia's brows were furrowed in confusion as she watched Sam chaise after two kids - two boys, twins it would seem. He chased them around the sandy beach as the tidal waves hit the shore and they kept giggling and getting away from him, and then making him stumble and fall head first into the sand and she just couldn't contain her laughter. Sam lifted his head, his hair, brows and mouth filled with sand and he gave her first a questioning look, as if he wasn't sure it was really her there, then he squinted his eyes at her, seemingly pouting at her laughing at him and in the end he smiled, showing off those beautiful sandy teeth, making her laugh harder.

And as they maintained the eye contact, neither noticed the too little rascals creeping up with two kid buckets of water and they poured the cold liquid all over him, mostly on his head, making him scream and begin to chase after them again. "Johnny, Junior, get back here!" He yelled after them and somehow Julia instantly knew Johnny was named after Sam's father and Junior was named after hers. But it took a moment, a full blown moment for her to realize... No, that was impossible. They couldn't be... She couldn't...

"Hey, Jamie, help me catch them!" Julia heard Sam shout out, and he head snapped at their direction, only to see a beautiful little blond girl that was a bit older then the twins, then _her_ twins. Jamie waved Sam over and started running towards them, abandoning Dean and Sarah right in the process of building a sand castle. The girl was smiling as she called Sam - uncle Sammy, telling him they would work together and catch the meanies. Soon it all turned into a mess with sand flying everywhere, as Sam ran around with the kids while Dean and Sarah watched them from a distance, smiling. And Julia caught herself smiling too.

She woke up with a start, her lip trembling and her eyes filling with tears, but at the sound of Sam's voice, she turned away and got up, heading for the bathroom. Sam asked if she was ok, sounding a lot less angry at her, but it was probably due to the sleepiness. She got in and closed the door behind, slowly, not wanting to draw too much attention to herself, not wanting to alert Sam. She closed the door, leaned on it and slid down, hugged her legs and silently cried.

* * *

Sam woke up early, the sun barely up, and he was surprised to find Julia fully dressed, sitting at the table with a steaming coffee mug in her hand, staring out of the window. She looked at him as soon as she spotted movement and wished him a good morning in a very silent, borderline sad tone.

"Everything ok?" he asked, his eyes examining her.

"Everything's fine." She replied sounding very convincing, but Sam could spot bullshit a mile away.

"Juls..."

"The courier will be here soon, my friend at the precinct sent the video footage... Maybe after you finish up in the bathroom, you can see if Dean and Sarah are ok, so that we can watch it together." Julia interrupted him and averted her attention back to whatever was outside, indicating she is done talking. Sam agreed and went to the bathroom, a few minute later he heard a knock on the door and guessed it was the courier. He took a few minutes and just stared at the mirror, a million different thoughts cruising in his mind all at once. But then there was another knock on the door out there and then there were voices and he knew he had to get out there.

"Seriously, dude... One of these days, somebody will mistake you for a woman... You have gotta cut that hair." Dean sounded and Sam threw him a half-hearted bitchface.

"Don't be ridiculous, he is too big to be mistaken for a woman. - Julia said with a smirk, completely aware of the double meaning that sentence held - Besides, I like having something to pull." To that, Sarah giggled and Dean made such a disgusted face and lowered his head, Sam was sure he was sorry he ever said anything. Still, even if Juls defended him, she didn't make eye contact with him, not even once and he so wanted to look into those chocolate eyes of hers and convey his gratitude.

Dean cleared his throat and raised a bag, changing the subject. "I brought some grub." He set the bag on the table and brought out two cheeseburgers with fries, two strawberry and one chocolate milkshake, a protein shake and two salads. Sam looked over at him confused.

He watched Dean put a burger and fries along with a strawberry milkshake in front of Juls. Yeah, that figures. Sarah took the other strawberry milkshake and strangely enough, the salad too. The girls sat opposite each other and smiled before digging in. Sam watched the exchange with interest when Dean approached and told him to "Quit staring, dude.", teasing him as he handed him his salad and the protein shake. He then sat on the bed and started on his burger, fishing the fries from the cardboard that was next to him.

"Oh, I just got the video from the bar, we can watch it and see what happened." Julia said and set up her rarely used laptop on the table, and they all scooted up to watch. The video showed Diana sitting at the bar at the far right corner, away from the main entrance and near the bathrooms. She was there just after her shift, 22:24 was the timestamp of the moment she came in and took her seat, drowning one whiskey glass after another.

"I've never seen her drink like this, something must have happened." Julia commented, but as far as she knew, nothing did. None of their mutual friends or acquaintances said anything, nobody knew anything, and still, there she was, clearly drinking her problems away. Julia saw her glance around the bar as if she was looking for someone and for a moment she thought Diana might have been undercover and drinking apple juice.

No, the next drink was poured out of a newly opened whiskey bottle and she was too obvious to be on a stakeout. She was looking to hook up. And right on cue, at 23:01 entered the man, or the angel Julia knew to be Castiel, she has seen his body in the morgue. From what Ellen eye-gestured, his vessel had an impressive... Blade, and it almost showed in the way he moved. Strong and confident, seeing his prey. He clearly spotted a few possible targets and decided to sit at the bar, the high chair nearest to the door.

Dean explained to Sarah who Castiel was and told her he was the man in the trenchcoat, and they all watched him talk to the bartender who eventually pointed Diana out and they saw Castiel stand up and walk over to her. Julia could almost see Diana's eyes spark up, the man just had something about him, in his vulgar posture, in his firm stance, something that just screamed sex. Well, to Julia at least. She instantly knew he would be Diana's type.

They watched them start to make light conversation, growing closer with each passing minute, they could see it by their body language they were both very interested in each other. At one point Castiel set his hand on Diana's and Julia smiled, thinking that was it. But Sam had a different idea.

"Was... Was he trying to get a reading on her, or heal her?"

"He needs to make contact with someone's head when he is getting a read, this is healing if I ever saw one... But..." Dean explained.

"But the light is missing." Sam supplied.

"Maybe he's misfiring?" Julia asked and both guys gawked their eyes at her for a moment, before they shook their heads. Sarah started laughing, trying to hide it with a hand over her mouth and Julia decided not to say anything else today. It was the safest bet.

00:03 had Diana leaning in and kissing Castiel, and he was clearly caught by surprise, his shoulders tensing, his hands stopping mid air, as if he did not know what to do with them. She soon broke the kiss, probably feeling it was wrong to display this much intimacy in public, and smiled at him while the angel remained motionless. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the bar at 00:06.

Sam and Dean exchanged glances and sighed. Julia looked at them questioningly, awaiting for an explanation and when no one spoke, she did. "Well?" Sam shook his head and then finally Dean spoke up.

"We... We don't know. I mean, he was definitely there for her, and it seemed like he was trying to heal her, but this... I get that your friend took a liking into him, but I don't get why would he... I mean he never..."

Julia was just about to ask if their angel friend was a virgin or something, but bit her mouth this time, worrying she might say something wrong once more. "He would never just go with someone like that and..." Dean tried to reason further when Sam interrupted.

"Maybe he was after something, something she had. Maybe he allowed this so that he could... I don't know get into her apartment?"

"Yeah, but we went through it, there was nothing there, nothing that would spike his interest anyway. A few lore books, some protection charms I seen a million times and that's it." Dean explained and Julia nodded in agreement. She might have been a mid league player compared to the Winchesters, but she would know if Diana had something dangerous or important. Everyone feel silent for a moment, thinking and mauling over what might have happened and why.

"Maybe... - Sarah started uncertain - maybe we could ask him?"

Dean looked over at her, his heart skipping a beat, remembering what happened yesterday. Knowing what she was implying, he immediately said "No."

"But, Dean..." She started and Dean cut her off.

"No." He started at her, plea in his eyes, because he knew well he couldn't stop her if she tried to dreamwalk. "I can't... After yesterday, I can't... I can't see you go through that again."

Sam and Juls remained silent throughout their exchange, Sam a bit surprised by how openly Dean talked. He was still struggling, but at least trying to properly explain it to her why he didn't want her doing that. The old Dean would have just said no. This Dean has grown and knows that you can't simply say no to a woman like Sarah. Sam watched her as she was looking at Dean a bit of understanding in her eyes, but also determination.

"I get that, I do. But this is the best way to..." She paused, figuring she isn't really the expert in these kinds of stuff. "Do you have a better idea?" She offered instead. Dean definitely struggled to find an answer before finally replying.

"No, not right now, but..."

"Well, there you go. This is the best solution we have right now." Sarah replied.

"No, Sarah, you can't... We don't know what might happen, with the grace in your system and..." Dean tried, but it was obvious she wouldn't back down. Taking a deep breath, Julia stepped in, knowing well she shouldn't interfere between the two but considering she had an idea that might help, she thought it wouldn't backfire on her.

"I might... Have an idea." She so wanted to sound confident, but ended up stuttering, looking uncertain. It didn't help that everyone's eyes snapped back at her expecting her to explain. She stuttered again. "I might... I mean I think... Ugh, ok... I heard about this spell that can make a person dreamwalk in somebody else's dream... It is a potion and I am sure if we did some digging we could find."

"African dream root!" Sam shouted, making Julia flinch and then look at him, completely confused. "We... We used it before."

"Of course you did." Julia said with a non heated eye roll and a smile on her face. Middle league indeed.

* * *

Two hours later and all ingredients gathered (that car's trunk is pure magic, how they managed to run into the root in it nobody knows), everyone came together in Sam's and Julia's room once again. Dean declared he would be the one to go and everyone protested.

"Dude, you can't go in alone." Sam said, holding the cup of the potion away from Dean's reach.

"Yes, I can Sam... It's Cas, Sam... I gotta go." Dean said, his poor attempt of a puppy dog eyes not fooling anyone.

"Ok, you can go, but I am going with you." Sam contradicted.

"No, I need you to stay here and make sure Sarah doesn't _accidentally_ fall asleep." He said out loud, not in hushed tone, not excusing himself to speak to his brother in private. There was no need for that, the girls were in it with them and there was no need to keep secrets at all.

Sarah actually scoffed at that and crossed her arms, but she knew well enough to listen to Dean on this one. She knew what he was trying to say. Castiel was an angel and even if Dean was right and he wouldn't burn her eyes on purpose, like he told her this morning, he might not be as trusting towards her. Dean was someone he knew, a friendly face he might need to see.

"I'll go with him." Julia stated and the second both of them opened their mouths to protest, she raised her hand and continued. "No! Castiel might be your friend, but Diana is mine. And besides, this is the best option, you can't go in there without backup, and... Well, you get my point."

"Oh, and you will be a good backup?" Dean countered with a raised brow.

"Could take you on any day of the week." She sassed back making him huff a smile. Dean glanced at Sam, and it was obvious to everyone in the room they were having one of theirs silent conversations, most certainly about Julia and her part in this. It was Dean who finally announced:

"Alright, popsicle girl. You're in."


	7. Touched by an angel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Some scenes aren't suitable for persons under the age of 18.

Sam and Sarah watched as Dean and Julia got comfortable on the bed, each on their edge, on their side (well, Dean on Sam's, but you get the picture). Dean knew what to expect, but Julia almost gagged at the taste of the African dream root tea, nearly throwing it up. Sam kept his eyes on her, knowing well nothing will happen, but couldn't help the worry that crept inside him mind. He knew one could get lost in someone else's dreams and mind, and they could get killed at well, but they were going to see their and her friend, so hopefully, both her and his brother will stay safe.

Back at the holding cells of Baltimore's police precinct, Diana Ballard, who up till then slept stiffly, lying on her back, suddenly relaxed and turned to the side, her face relaxing in her sleep for the first time since the event.

Julia opened her eyes and looked to her right, right where Dean was when they went to sleep. He was there, but the bed wasn't, nor was the room or Sam and Sarah. Black. Just a large empty black space. Dean looked at her and nodded and she nodded back, suggesting she was ok and that she will follow his lead. Still, she couldn't help a flinch when Dean took a deep breath and shouted from the top of his lungs "CAAAAASSSS!"

"Really? This was your plan?" Julia asked and he just shrugged. The fact was, last time Dean dreamwalked, he was somewhere, not nowhere. Even when Cas and Sam entered his mind to help him contain Michael, they were at a bar, not it a vast empty space. Well, as far as he knew. "Ok, you wanna call out to him, do it, but let's at least move and start looking for something, anything? Are you even sure we are in Diana's dream?"

"If the hair you brought was hers, then yeah we are. I just never landed in a dream that didn't have any kind of... scenery." Dean explained.

"I still can't believe you made me drink something with a hair in it." Julia said with disgust.

"Hey, at least it wasn't a toe nail." Dean, the optimist replied making her gawk her eyes at him. "Not that we ever did that, I'm just saying..." Dean defended while Julia just shook her head and turned away from him.

"Hey, look, there's a door." Julia pointed out. They walked to it and once they reach it, Julia commented "Looks like Diana's front door, of her apartment."

"Yeah, but I didn't see a man of letter's symbol on her door when we ransacked her place." Dean added.

Not sure what they would find behind the doors, Dean slowly reached and opened them, peeking inside. It seemed like Diana's apartment with a few objects that did not belong there, but rather at the bunker. A katana sword that was displayed at the library, a book shelf that Julia remembered seeing at the bunker, a few wall ornaments and symbols that altered the feel of the place. It was like the bunker and Diana's apartment were merging a bit, Diana's apartment prevailing.

But the arrangement was odd too, it seemed like a bit of all the rooms were merged into one, kitchen cabinets on one side, table that was in the hallway to their right. And at the far wall... Her bed. Dean saw it when they were in her apartment, they checked it for any hex begs or etched symbols, and he wondered if Cas was really doing what everyone suggested he was. It was so hard to imagine him being... Well having sex.

Trying to imagine Cas roughly kissing, biting, squeezing and thrusting hard into a screaming woman underneath him was... No. Disturbing. But then they opened the door to that dream apartment, and they saw them in that beg together, fully dressed and just... It was strange. They were both curled inwardly in fetal position, and despite their bodies being so apart, their legs were intertwined, their hands clasped together, their foreheads leaning one one another. Dean could only come up with one word that could describe this - they were connected. He could almost fee some strange energy cruising from one to the other and he had no idea what this was.

Julia stepped forward when she saw her friend, but Dean reached and held her back, and with just one exchanged look she knew he was uncertain of what was happening and they should proceed with caution. But when they refocused on the bed again, they nearly jumped at the sight of bright blue eyes watching them. Dean didn't relax not even when he realized it was Cas, because his eyes were grace blue and it almost seemed like it wasn't him in there.

Not Cas. Not his friend, his brother. No, felt more like Castiel, the angel of the Lord, the fierce warrior of Heaven.

Dean visibly gulped, somehow feeling all that grace seeping all around, not liking it one bit. But the angel blinked and his eyes turned to normal, connecting to Dean's once more, sadness and shame creeping up in them before he looked away. Diana rose and followed his exact motions, except her eyes darted between Julia and Dean, her face scarily blank of any emotion. Together they stood up and came before the bed, both reaching with their hands to entangle their fingers together. They shared a look before focusing on the hunters that interrupted their dream.

"Cas?" Dean asked, like he wanted to make sure it was him, like he was searching for just one thing, one move, one flicker of emotion to recognize his best friend. And there it was - that look. That look that said he screwed something up again, like he has a tendency to do, only this time, Dean was actually too worried about him to care. Whatever it was, his green eyes conveyed one message - _We can fix it. Talk to me._

"Hello, Dean." Cas finally said, and like he was trying to divert the subject he glanced at Julia.

"Hey, Juls." he heard Diana say, and blinked weirdly a few times, as if he had something in his eye. But when he looked at her again, it wasn't as if he was looking at the stranger anymore. It was as if he knew her, everything about her. Julia frowned and felt awkward, especially when the angel nodded at her and greeted her in the same manner he did Dean.

"You... You know me?" Julia asked before Dean could say a word.

"No. But Diana does and now, by extension... - he said glancing down at their joined hands - so do I."

"That's just creepy." She commented, but before she could speak again, Dean asked, knowing their time might be limited.

"Cas, man, what happened?"

The angel had that look on his face again, that guilt and shame of poorly made decisions evident in his eyes. But Diana's other hang was instantly on his shoulder for comfort and then his free hand was on top of hers as his whole body turned to her without making eye contact. He squeezed her hand and taking a deep breath, he turned back to the hunters.

* * *

**Flashback**

Castiel and Naomi walked the hallways of Heaven on their way to God's former office. It was now Jack's room, so much more warmer and nicer then it used to be. No blinding white walls and furniture and that ridiculous white throne. No, the whole room was now not even a room, but it was as if one stepped into an open meadow with a stream in the distance, the smell of spring in the air and the chirping of the birds on a nearby cherry tree. If Castiel had to guess, it was a scenery from somewhere in China.

The two angel talked on their way there, Castiel glad Naomi has changed enough to fully accept these changes, he always knew her priority was Heaven, their home, thought some of her methods for protecting it were somewhat questionable. Still, after the Empty consumed her to get to Jack when he died, she really got a taste of what it felt like to be a helpless human used as a vessel of an angel, unable to move, to speak, to think. It took her a lot of time just to be able to move again, much less walk and talk, and all that time gave her a good chance to reflect on her decisions.

This was her first day back. She met Jack earlier in the canteen, completely surprised that Jack created such a room and that most of the angels accepted it and actually ate there. And the food actually tasted like food and not molecules. She didn't really want to taste it, she wasn't ready for that kind of a step yet, but when Jack offered her a pastrami-cheese sandwich he made (he even removed the crust), she couldn't say No. Not to the being that held the power of God and was currently holding her home for crumbling down to Earth.

The sandwich was an eye opener. And the sinful hum of pleasure she let out when the flavor exploded in her mouth made her blush and widen her eye in surprise of her own reaction. Cas couldn't help the amused smile on her face.

Now, after she talked to Castiel about the changes Jack made and after walking around her home to see its state, Castiel urged her to accept and help Jack. He was powerful, but he still couldn't hold the entire Heaven's on his back, he needed help. She could feel the new energy surging through her home, powering it and lifting some of the burden off her grace, and most likely the grace of other angels, but it wasn't enough. Jack tried hard to keep it all together, but the cracks were still there, some parts still shook a bit and the walls crumbled. She accepted and said she would do whatever she could to help. They were on their way to see Jack in his room, just around the corner when they ran into someone.

More like bumped into the guy, and Castiel ended up with a shirt and jacket full of ice cream. He rolled his eyes at the shorter and much fatter guy and huffed in annoyance while the guy seemed completely unfazed he ran into the angel, if we don't count the sad look he gave to his ice cream cone and the ice cream smeared all over Castiel's clothes.

"Who... Who are you?" Naomi asked. She could sense some lingering grace inside him, but he was no angel. Naomi knew all the angels, knew their grace and could recognize each, no matter the vessel they were in.

The man finally looked at her, his eyes roaming all over her making her frown. His eyes sparked in interest and he smiled widely, looking creepy as hell. " _Some people call me the space cowboy, some call me the gangster of love, some people call me Maurice, cuz I speak of the pompatus of love._ " ***** He practically sang, wiggling his eyebrow at her, making her frown deepen.

"Maurice." Castiel warned, his firm gaze scolding the man. "Please, resume your duties and let us pass, we have important work to do."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, sure." Maurice said with a nod and a small smile and stepped aside to let them pass. But just as they did, his face suddenly lit up and he called after the angel "Oh, Castiel! I almost forgot. Jack told me he has an assignment for you." The angel cocked his head to the side giving Maurice a questioning look as the man walked back to them, pulling a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket.

"Here. He said meet this woman at that bar and heal her illness. He said it was very important and that it couldn't wait. Apparently she is special." He said with a smile as he handed Cas the paper. "He said it was extremely important that you heal her." Maurice added, still lingering as if he wanted to make sure Castiel won't just ignore him. The angel took the offered paper and read it, the name not sounding familiar. He frowned when he lifted his head to find that Maurice was still there, an expecting look in his eyes.

"Alright. I will go to Baltimore immediately." Castiel confirmed and Maurice burst from happiness, grinning. He slapped Castiel on the back in what was supposed to be a friendly manner, but it was so hard, the angel unwillingly took a step forward, the inertia thrusting him. His frown deepened and there was a rumbling sound in his chest, but he didn't allow it to turn into a growl it was meant to be. Maurice just turned and skipped away.

"Who was that?" Naomi asked with some gravity in her voice. No other beings aside from angels and pure souls could enter Heaven, at least not in her time, but a lot has changed since Jack got there and she was worried about what else he allowed in.

"That was Maurice..." Castiel started, knowing the explanation was a bit complicated and it cast a bad shadow on all the good work Jack did. "When you were sick, Dummah took over. Jack was... At a vulnerable state and she found him. She made him strike down heathens and... make angels out of believers. Maurice was one of them." He heard Naomi gasp at that, but he couldn't shake the immediate feeling that she knew exactly what he was talking about even without getting into it. He gave her a side glance and she sighed and told him all about how Dummah approached her with that idea when Jack was first born, but she shut it down, thinking it was blasphemy to even consider such an idea.

But it was done and when Jack started fixing things in Heaven, they came across the group. They couldn't kill them, it wasn't right, but they couldn't just let them wonder the Earth. So they gave them them some tasks to help maintain the Heaven and take the load of the other angels. Maurice was... Difficult. He was cheery and annoyingly smug and clumsy. He messed up each job that he was given, always trying to do things differently and forcing his own ideas. He had a good heart, he was a good person, but he was just... Difficult.

Castiel excused himself and let Naomi meet Jack alone while he went to do the task he was given. Jack didn't normally do this, but he did have some strange requests from time to time that Castiel questioned, and that turned out to be a part of a bigger picture an angel such as him couldn't quite grasp. So he stopped asking and just did them. But it was never this... Big. Healing someone from minor injuries if he came across such a thing was encouraged, but he was never sent to heal illnesses that would stop someone's suffering or even prevent death, they did not mess with the grand plan in that way. Jack must have had a good reason to have him do this.

* * *

He came into the bar and quickly spotted a few women that fit the vague Facebook picture he looked up. He was a bit proud of his thinking when he decided to look her up online so that he could identify her easily. He sat at the bar and ordered water, but when the bartender gave him a raised brow, he changed his order to blueberry juice. Since Jack gave them taste buds, and he tried blueberry, he was so infatuated with it that he ended up with a blue tongue and cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He toned it down, but every chance he had, he asked for something with blueberry in it.

Took him a bit, but he finally convinced the bartender to point out one Diana Ballard, the name he had scribbled on the piece of paper. He got up and started her way, confident and with the idea of approaching her as an FBI agent. That way she couldn't turn him down like she could if she thought he was just trying to hit on her. But the moment he came close and she lifted her gaze and their eyes met, something inside of him snapped.

He doesn't remember what he said, but remembers the warmth of her smile when he spoke up and those plush pink lips that parted to reveal the whitest set of pearls. He doesn't remember what they talked about, but remembered those autumn brown eyes that just spoke volumes of sadness and loneliness. He does however remember trying to snap out of it for a moment and set her hand on hers, trying to figure out what was her illness and heal her.

The moment he set his hand on hers, she confessed that, only two days prior, she was diagnosed with brain tumor. And it has spread so much, it was impossible to remove it. She was dying. And despite the fact he **knew** she was meant for Heaven, he felt sad. She seemed like she had so much more to give, like she had so much life left inside her, unlived. So many more things to try. But most of all, she has so much love in her heart. Love that was never shared with anyone.

Somewhere deep down he knew what was happening, he knew this was Maurice's work, his latest assignment doing cupid work, but somehow... He didn't care. The feeling of being close to her was all there was, that infatuation tickling his stomach, making those butterflies swirl. He knew this shouldn't be happening, but still, he let it happen.

Diana was just so damn lonely, coming there that night to try and find a warm body to share a bed with, not having to wake up alone. She never expected to feel so mesmerized by those dreamy blue eyes, as clear as the silent water stream that in time bent rocks to it's will.

She didn't know how much time passed, but she was getting antsy and just couldn't stand sitting there and looking at the guy when all she wanted was to have her fingers in his dark hair, tugging him close. So she stood up and like a gentleman he followed, and then she reached for his hand and practically dragged him out if of the bar. The doors didn't even close yet when their lips connected for the first time, electricity sparking between them in an instant.

Castiel felt those proverbial butterflies go nuts in his stomach and somehow they must have borrowed him their wings, because the next thing he knew they were crashing through the door of her apartment.

Only for a moment did Diana pull away and gazed into his eyes before reaching for him once more, pulling him into a kiss, slight softer then the first one, but a passionate one nonetheless. The fingers of her left hand ran through his hair sending goosebumps through his skin and then her right hand came from behind him, grabbed a handful of his tush and pulled his body flush against hers, making him gasp.

He remembered how this worked, and he knew he shouldn't be doing this, but the feeling was so intoxicating, her kisses so needy that he told himself he didn't have the heart to push her away, to reject her. Had nothing to do with the burning desire to feel certain chemicals aside from those derived out of his new acquired sense of taste.

Maybe this was all just a consequence, a side effect of Jack altering the angel anatomy so that they could feel the flavors. Whatever it was, Castiel knew, he would have absolutely no will power to put a stop to it. And if he was being honest, he didn't really want to. Maybe he too was feeling a bit lonely, but not enough to admit it to anyone, not even himself.

His mouth hung open as he watched her peel her clothes off and stood there like an idiot as she did the same to him, all the while sending sparks through his system with nothing but her touch. Her hand went up to his hair once more, and she curled her fingers into it, yanking his head back and started planting moist kisses down his neck making his breathing hitch. Her hands were everywhere on his skin, but it was only when they went into his boxers and to his bare tush once again that he felt a blush creep up his face.

Letting go of his hair, she took his colossal hand and set it on her firm breast, and then just left him there. He didn't squeeze or pinch, only tenderly started to massage it, brushing his fingers over her nipple a few times. She broke away and gazed into his eyes and it was like he knew exactly what she wanted him to do, so he leaned in and took that nipple into his mouth, playing with it with his lips before letting his tongue gently brush over it. He must have done something good, because she was humming her pleasure, arching her back for more.

The moment he broke away, she grabbed him by the neck and pulled him for another heated kiss, leaving him, an angel who didn't need to breath, breathless. Her perfect plush lips danced around his, her tongue grazing over his lower lip in search of access. Finally his mind functioned enough for his lips to part and the second her tongue ran over his, a whole pallet of flavors exploded in his mouth. However before he could identify any of them, she was pulling him forward and towards the bed.

He didn't remember all that happened, but he did remember the feeling of her soft skin underneath him, her gentle hands pressing against his back. He remembered the sweet-salty taste of her lips and how he liked it so much, he couldn't get enough of it. He remembered the warmth of her breasts against his chest and the way goosebumps ran all over her skin when his hand went up her neck and into her hair as he was kissing her. He remembered his slight confusion when she broke the kiss and moved her head to expose her neck, but then she tugged him closer and he followed her lead, setting his kiss-swollen lips on the base of her neck.

Hearing her light moan sent a jolt right down to his crotch and he felt movement there. Apparently his penis moved on its own and hearing Diana's pleased hum, he figured it was normal. He kept kissing her neck down around her collarbone and felt her hand slip next to his thigh making him shiver to her touch. He gasped when he felt her fingers wrap around his member and then she was moving slightly underneath him, so he remembered raising his head and looking at her in slight confusion. But she just smiled at him and then he sucked a deep breath, letting his mouth drop and hang open as his member slipped into such warmness and wetness.

Castiel doesn't remember much of what happened after that.

He doesn't remember how he froze and how she had to grab his ass and pull him deeper. He doesn't remember when he started moving in and out of her, but he does vaguely remember her moans getting louder and louder. He doesn't remember how the things she said made him move faster and ram into her harder, but he does remember how beautiful she looked underneath him and how his grace vibrated with every breath she took.

He remembered how lonely she seemed and he was overwhelmed with a need to comfort her and protect her, and make her happy, if nothing else then at least for this one night, so he kept doing what pleased her and the more he moved the more she moaned and the more her soul called out to him. The need to feel her grew bigger and bigger, and his hands started caressing her entire body, as much as he could reach without stopping his thrusts.

Castiel didn't really remember all of this, but Diana did and now... by extension... so did he.

They remembered he symphony of their rugged breaths as they both moved closer to their climax, the ecstatic feeling cruising through their bodies. They connected on a much deeper level, they could both feel it and it only served to allow them to reach new heights. Both had their heads thrown backwards as they chased their their peek, and at the exact same moment, their eyes snapped back at each other's and the word around them literally exploded in the brightest light the world has ever seen.

A pole of light flashed upward towards the sky and then the entire room was consumed in darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Borrowed from the song The Joker by Steve Miller Band.


	8. A call from the heart to the god of love, send us an angel, a sign from above

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tittle taken from the song "Damn the machine" by Gamma Ray

Sarah sat at the window table, her eyes trained on Dean's sleeping form. Sam kept looking between Julia and Dean, throwing a glance over at Sarah every once in a while, but the more time passed, the more he kept his focus on Sarah. She wasn't even blinking, and the nervousness seeped out if her in waves, he could practically feel it.

When he couldn't stand to watch her like that anymore, he got up, picked up a water bottle and handed it to her, in an attempt to avert her attention to something else, anything else. She gave the bottle one glance, another one for Sam, shook her head and went back to monitor Dean and Julia.

"They are fine. - he tried - if anything was wrong we would have..."

"I know. I can feel emotions coming off of them. Curiosity and confusion so far, nothing much else." She answered in a monotone voice and then suddenly sighed, deflating a bit. "You're right, I know... I just... I can't help but worry." She paused, looked back at him and smiled.

"Neither can you."

Sam flinched and opened his mouth to retort something, but then stopped and thought about it. Of course he worried, not just about Dean, but about Julia too, if not a bit more. Afterall, Dean has been in situations like this one, Julia hasn't.

His thoughts wondered towards her all day, considering that maybe he overreacted. She was a hunter that only had to look out for herself and on occasion her dad, but she has never worked as a part of a team. And considering they didn't even have time to catch their breath after the demon-Jake thing, getting sucked into another hunt... It was all happening fast and all things considered she was adjusting well.

But that little slip up of hers... He knew it was just a mistake, he knew she didn't mean that, but it still hurt. And no matter how many times he would say to himself that he is angry with her because of Sarah, there was always that little piece of him that would wonder... If she met him ten years ago, would she say the same about him?

"I know it is probably none of my business, but I... I can feel her sorrow and your sadness too. Maybe you shouldn't be so hard on her." Sarah spoke carefully and watched as Sam closed his eyes and sighed. He took a moment to gather his thoughts back and finally turned to Sarah.

"You're probably right. But I just... It is hard, you know. Getting used to something new. I mean, we had situations where we needed to adapt and work together and... I don't know. I guess I can't see us working as a team yet. She seems to be getting along with Dean, and the two of us are doing ok... I think. - he said huffing a laugh and continued once Sarah smiled in agreement - But... I... She is... She is just a bit like the old Dean and... You... And..." Sam stumbled on his words but stopped talking once he felt Sarah's hand on his in a comforting manner.

"It's ok. I know. She told me." Sarah said and Sam looked at her a bit confused.

"She... she did?"

"Yup. She was sorry for what she said, more so when she figured she might have hurt you more with those words." Sarah replied with a knowing look on her face.

"That's... That's not important, I know she didn't mean it like that. I know she is... I just want her to try and for all of us to work together. I don't want... I don't want what we have or what you and Dean have to..." Sam tried, struggling with his words. He knew they were all trying to make this work, still, he couldn't help but worry about it all. About their dynamics on a real hunt and about the dangers of... There were just a lot more people to worry about now.

"It's ok. We are ok. Or will be." She said with a smile and Sam remembered how the two were like when they picked them up from their shopping trip. Maybe Juls just needs time to get to know Sarah. And in time... They would learn how to do this... As a team.

"And I can totally see us all together... Both working and... Relaxing." She added with a wide smile and then looked back at the two sleeping forms on the bed. Sam thought about what she said, especially that relax part and he contemplated on one though before he finally spoke up.

"Relaxing... You mean like on a beach or something?" He tested and watched Sarah as she turned to him wide-eyed.

"You... You... Did you..." Sarah asked bewildered. She thought it was Dean's dream and she was just... 'walking' through it, but somehow she must have managed to pull Sam in it too.

"Yeah. I think Juls did too." Sam said with a gentle smile and paused before continuing. " You know, angels can... Could interfere with dreams, change them. Archangels especially. So I am not all that surprised to see that you could do it too." Sam explained and Sarah nodded, frowning, but at least she wasn't freaking out.

A few minutes pasted in complete silence, both Sarah and Sam just watching over Dean and Juls. It was Sarah who finally spoke up, her voice bearing all the curiosity with a pinch of teasing. "So... Do you think I could dreamwalk without actually falling asleep?"

"Maybe... - Sam said shrugging with his lips pinched in a tight line, the ends curving downward, and then quickly added - But don't try it now!"

Sarah smiled at the expressions he was making and he smiled back, but soon they fell back into the silence, watching and wondering what was happening in that dream.

* * *

Back inside that dream both Dean and Julia listed to Cas's story with frowns on their faces. It was Dean that spoke first after Cas was finished. "Yeah, well... That's all nice, man, but... Um... We got a really bad situation out there. Tomorrow is the hearing before a judge to see if there will be a trial. You see... They think Diana here killed you."

Dean really wanted to pass on just how grave the situation was, that if he didn't assume control over Diana or release her, there is a pretty good chance she would end up in jail for the rest of her life. He wasn't expecting for Diana and Cas to exchange sad looks and look back at him like that've known all along.

"I... I can't." Castiel said voice filled with sorrow.

"You can't... What?" Dean asked.

"I can't leave."

" Ok, so you're trapped, that's what you're saying? Well, we... We could work on that. But you have to take the wheel or..."

"I can't." Castiel interrupted not making eye contact with Dean.

Dean looked at him, assessing his shrunken posture, the sadness that seeped out of him, the guilt so obvious in his averted eyes. He took a deep calming breath, getting a bit angry, though he didn't know exactly why. But whatever it was, it could wait.

"Can't... Or won't?"

It was a simple question that bore a lot of weight. Julia didn't know, but Diana instantly knew what Dean was asking, her free hand coming back up to Castiel's shoulder in comfort. She knew everything about him, every thought, every emotion. And she knew well the guilt and regret he had when it came to possessions. She knew about Jimmy and about what happened to him and his family. She knew it ate him up that he was the cause of someone's suffering.

"He can't." Diana spoke up, breaking the eye contact she had with Cas to look at Juls first and then Dean. "We are... Bound together. If we... If we move away from each other, we will both die." Ok, that didn't make much sense, not to Dean and especially not to Julia.

"Maurice is... He isn't a regular cupid. Nobody really knows what Jack's grace did to his system and how powerful he and the others are." Castiel spoke up again. "But when he marked me with his arrow... No regular cupid could mark an angel. And whatever he did... I tried to leave. The moment I saw my vessel lying in that bed, I tried to leave. It almost tore us both apart."

 _That explains why Diana screamed when they flipped the body and then went blank. He tried to leave and it almost killed them._ Julia thought. They were tied together and neither could move to take control of the body nor could they leave. So the only way to free them is to sever the ropes. They needed to find a way to break the spell they were under.

"Ok, so how do we... Unbind you?" Julia finally asked.

Cas knew what they needed to do. "You need to find Maurice, it is the only way. And no, don't call Jack. Even if he wasn't bearing the weight of Heaven on his back right now, I doubt he would be able to help much. Only Maurice knows what he did to get us..."

"Stuck together." Diana finished with a bleak smile. She knew Castiel felt the same, but she also knew neither would ever say it out loud. As much as they both hated to admit it, this is the happiest either of them has ever been and maybe there is a small part of each that didn't want to see the bond break, didn't want to grow apart. Loneliness really was the greatest poverty of mankind.

Dean seemed to be deeper in thought then usual, mulling over all that was said. When he finally spoke, he said something nobody expected. "Lemme guess. Chubby guy, yay high, loves ice cream? Is that Maurice?"

"Wait, you know him?" Julia asked with her brows raised high.

Even Castiel frowned at his statement, the group hasn't left Heaven since they were created. That he knew of. He tilted his head is his typical Castiel way and then startled everyone when he stepped closer to Dean, pulling Diana along. He got close, invading his personal space, his eyes darting everywhere like he was analyzing him. Suddenly he reached for Dean's hand, took it in his and ran his thumb over the back of it.

Dean's hand gave out a faint glow of angel grace that pooled in the center of his hand, drawing a symbol of a bow and arrow with a heart shaped point. The symbol of cupids.

Castiel almost huffed a laugh. "You've been hit too..." He said and then glanced at Julia with a smile before turning back to Dean and finally stepping out of his close vicinity. Dean's eyes widened for a moment, his cheeks reddening a bit as he realized what was being implied.

"No, no, no... You... She... No. I mean yes, but no..." He tried, stumbling over his words, then huffed in annoyance with himself. Taking a deep breath he started over. "Yes, I think both Sam and I were hit, but she isn't... She's Sam's girlfriend."

"Oh. I apologize, I just assumed..." Castiel tried, but Dean waved him off.

Julia remained awfully quiet not really picking up what was being said as Dean and Cas talked about how to try and contact Maurice. Diana was focused on her friend and Cas kept glancing at her through the rest of the conversation. Diana must have figured something was wrong and... By extension... Cas knew it too. Still neither spoke about it because they both knew it wasn't going to end well if they tried, not with Julia.

Not if she just realized who was the one to kidnap her and put her in the North Pole.

* * *

Dean woke up inhaling hard, like he had been submerged underwater for too long. And even if they all knew he wasn't having a nightmare right then, Sarah was still by his side in an instant. He smiled at her as she cupped his face and looked back at him with those vibrant eyes filled with warmth.

"You're ok." Sarah said, not asked. She could just feel that aside from being a bit annoyed and slightly worried, deep down Dean was ok. The warmth from her eyes seemed to spread to him a bit too as he smiled kindly at her, reaching out to touch the hand that was on his cheek.

"Did you doubt me?" He asked teasing and she hugged a laugh, finally letting go of that spec of worry that remained, and then launched forward and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. The momentum pushed Dean backwards and he barely managed to catch himself from falling by setting his hands on the bed. If they had fallen, his head would have ended up in Julia's lap. And that would have been awkward.

Sam observed everything, his whole being drawn to wrap his arms around his girl, but his legs remained frozen in spot his hands motionless and he had no idea why. Was it that Julia wouldn't make eye contact with him? Why was she so quiet?

He glanced at Dean and Sarah, she drew him in for a kiss - short but clearly emotional one and when she pulled back they were looking at each other like... Heck, even a blind man could see how much in love they were. And the more he thought about it,he more he wanted to forget that incident ever happened and just go back to being like that with Juls. An image of her jumping in his arms, straddling him and kissing him with such passion when they woke up in the bunker... After they were saved... He wanted to go back to that. Considering all the things that have happened to them over the years, it was understandable that he would have trouble admitting it, admitting that she was already rooted deep inside his heart, faster then he thought possible.

"You ok?" he finally managed to ask, from almost across the room, but it seemed as if Julia didn't even hear him. His legs trebled before he managed to move them at last, slowly rounding the bed and coming to Julia. He crouched down next to her, his brows furrowed at the expression on her face. He reached for her hand and at the same time trying to get her attention. "Hey..."

Julia slowly moved her hand away from his, but remained quiet.

"Juls... What's wrong?" He asked, some strange feeling consuming him, something telling him it was all _wrong, wrong, so so wrong_. It took a few minutes, and Sam felt everything around them getting quiet, Sarah and Dean not making a sound. It took a few minutes, but Julia finally raised her eyes to meet Sam. Immediately he was struck with the amount of sadness in them, feeling his heart wrench at the sight. "Juls?"

The more Julia thought about it all, the more clear it became. This Maurice played cupid and not only did he put them under some sort of a cupid spell, or whatever the cupids do (Julia didn't really know), but he also took her, kidnapped her and put her in a bed with a man she didn't know, in a place that was unfamiliar and so secluded, she might as well have been locked up. Jesus, she could have died there.

She felt the pull, she felt something was drawing her to Sam, but she just thought it was the years of being alone and the need to have someone strong by her side, someone that can't be so easily manipulated by a demon or hurt because of her lifestyle. She felt it, and she just let it go, let it happen, and she was so thrilled to see that her father even accepted him and that Sam himself was accepting her with all her quirks. To see that they all accepted her, more or less, despite her loud mouth.

Damn, even that dream... They were an actual family. They had kids for god's sake. He was there and it was nothing she would have come up with herself, so it must have been Sarah's doing. She didn't blame her, it was either an accident or she had best intentions, and for a moment Julia actually thought it could happen in a way. But it was all a lie.

"Was..." She tried, her voice betraying her, telling Sam just how close she was to falling apart. She cleared her throat looking away from him, and managed to utter "Was any of it even real?"

"What are you talking about?" He asked softly, reaching for her hand again, but this time, he pulled away a bit more harshly, looked back at him with an angry expression but with so much hurt in her eyes.

"We. Were we even real, or was it just some damn cupid spell?" She almost spat out, trying so damn hard to hold it together and not fall apart. Sam glanced at Dean, and in a few seconds he figured out what happened, not just in the dream but also to Cas and Diana. It must have been the same rogue cupid. And the hurt and the mistrust in her eyes were just killing him, but he could't find words to comfort her. Because he knew how it all looked, because she knew he knew, he figured it out and he didn't tell her.

"Was any of it real?" And Sam had a feeling she wasn't just talking about what happened between them, the connection they made, and the feelings they both had. Have. After everything she has seen and after everything he told them about their lives, it was a good chance that the impossible could happen and that the demon could come back from the dead. If he was even dead in the first place. Her eyes pleaded him to tell her that it was real, that it all happened and that the feelings are real too. But he couldn't. He didn't even know why, but he couldn't.

Julia seemed to come up with an answer of her own, derived from his silence, and she just nodded, tears finally spilling as she finally broke. Her eyes were sad, but not giving much of any other emotions, her expression remained blank as she just nodded a few times. She looked at him one last time, then turned around and left the room, left Sam to just stand there dumbstruck, feeling like an idiot for being unable to say one single thing to stop her.

"What the hell are you doing? Go after her!" Dean finally said and it was like a wake up call, finally snapping him out of his trance. He looked back at his brother, nodded and ran out to the almost empty parking lot. He looked left and right, straight and all around, but there was no sign of Julia anywhere. She was gone.


	9. Anything you can do, I can do better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title and most of this chapter was inspired by Howard Keel's song as performed by Frank and Annie in the 1950s musical movie called "Annie get your gun!"

" _Anything you can do I can do better  
_ _I can do anything better then you._

_..._

_Dean: I can shoot a partridge, with a single cartridge._   
_Julia: I can get a sparrow, with a bow and arrow._

_..._

_Dean: I can do most anything!  
_ _Julia: Can you bake a pie?  
_ _Dean: No.  
_ _Julia: Neither can I!"_

* * *

**Chapter 9: Anything you can do I can do better**

"She's... She's gone! I can't find her anywhere." Sam said with abundance of fear in his eyes as he walked back into the room.

"Ok, it's going to be ok. We'll find her." Dean assured him, once more taking up the big brother mantle and patting Sam assuredly on the back. "Let's split up and look. Sarah can stay here in case she comes back." To that, Sarah nodded positively, comfort practically seeping out of her expression.

"Oh, ok. Ok. Yeah. You're right, you're... Let's go." Sam confirmed looking a bit lost, his motions a bit frantic. Once they were out of the room, Dean told him to go right and he would go left and they would look and he made sure Sam had his phone on him so that they could stay in touch, all the while Sam just kept nodding, barely registering what his brother said.

Truth was he was suddenly so scared. Scared of loosing Julia. It felt so good to be her rock, to protect her and made sure she was ok, and the minute he focused on himself, she got hurt. Emotionally, not physically, but he still couldn't help but feel responsible. He should have tried harder, he should have assured her it was real.

He should have said how he felt about her.

Even if he just realized that himself.

All this time here was focused on her and how much she needed him, not really realizing he needed her too. He needed her to bright up his day, to act all silly and make him act the same, he needed her touch, he needed her kiss. He needed her affection. He needed her.

As Sam walked down the street past the stores, bakeries and restaurants, he couldn't help but wonder why was he so stubborn? Sure, she said something about Sarah that wasn't nice and she didn't even figure out straight away that it hurt him a bit too, but... What did it say about him that after one little mistake he would distance himself so much?

Some boyfriend he was. Instead of trying to work it out he pouted like a child and avoided talking to her about it. He has to find her. He has to tell her her he is sorry. Or she will just drift away like all the others. And then end up dead. Just like Jess. Madison. Sarah Blake. Eileen.

And he would end up all alone. Again.

And the worst part - Sam would take that loneliness if it meant for sure she would be safe. And happy. Even if it is without him.

* * *

Dean walked past a public library, skipping ahead. There's no way she would be there. Next was the movies, but it only had a 1950s movie Dean just knew Julia wouldn't be into. He on the other hand... Merlin Monroe certainly had her charms. Some didn't like it, some liked it hot and Dean was without a doubt a member of that second group. But Julia wasn't.

Tearing his drooling face away from a poster, he kept going, coming up to a sports center. Ok, he was a bit at a loss here. Julia was... Well she was slim and seemed like she was in good shape, not that he looked. Noticed. Right.

But would Julia really go there? If Sam was right and she was a lot like Dean... Then no way. Maybe if they had a boxing ring, and boxing bags... Sweat out the frustrations. Dean stood and looked at the center and at the sign in front, shaking his head. Naw, no way she would go there. But the something caught his eye and it was like there was a light bulb above his head that shone bright on that one line on that sign.

Firing range.

Oh, yeah!

If it was him, and he was pissed and angry and secretly scared and a girl, and came across a gun range, he would certainly go there. So he sighed in and went in search of his brother's missing girlfriend. And just as he suspected, there she was, headphones and protective goggles, shooting a beautiful Dessert Eagle, faster then an automatic gun would. Dean cringed at the loud sounds and quickly found some sound mufflers of his own.

He quickly texted Sam and then tried to figure out how to approach her. Going up to her and tapping her on the back while she had a gun in her hand was a baaaaaad idea, even he knew that. Even when she is in between clips, she changed them so fast, he would still end up with a gun in his face, at least. Maybe even shot.

So, he had to figure out another way to get her attention. Looking over at the guy who gave out the guns, he slowly walked over there wondering how do people make gun choices with all this noise. But apparently, they thought of that, setting up a line of pictures on the counter, and all he had to do is point at the gun he wanted, and in a few minutes he would get it with 6 extra clips.

The range was mostly empty, and the booths that were taken, were far away from a pissed off woman with a gun. Dean did noticed a few odd looks when he stepped in the booth two spaces away from hers, but he didn't care.

Dean watched her fire her rounds and just when she stopped to change clips, he took his shots, fast and clear, then immediately drew the target in. He could tell the target drew her attention, and she paused, then looked who it was.

Dean has never heard a snort so loud coming from a woman.

"How'd you do?" He asked with his signature smirk and a raised brow.

"Better then you." Julia scoffed and pulled her target. The grouping of the bullets was pretty good, but not as good as Dean's.

"Well, that is pretty good. For a girl. But I think this - he said lifting his target - is a winner."

"Figures a guy like you would turn everything into a pissing contest." Julia retorted.

"Oh, trust me, with you - it ain't a contest at all."

That did it. Dean had no idea what he was thinking or if he was thinking at all,.but next thing he knew, she was changing that clip and cocking her gun, and for a moment he actually thought she might shoot him.

"Alright. You wanna measure whose is bigger... Fire your guns." Julia said making Dean pause.

"Did you just use an AC/DC song as a one liner?" Dean asked with an amused expression. Julia completely ignored him, focused on the target and fired. Dean had to admit, she looked kinda badass, but when he focused o her expression, he could see it. He could see exactly why they thought she was like Dean. He could see beyond the mask that she put on, just like he always did. He could see her burying her pain, shoving it deep down just like he always did.

She finished shooting and cocked an eye brow at him, making him snap out of his thoughts to turn and fire his gun. Once they both pulled in their targets, both had the same grouping of bullets, except Dean's were aimed at the head and Julia's were aimed at the heart. Yeah, he could definitely see right through her.

"Here." She said after an eye roll, handing Dean a different set of targets - a full body one.

"Shoot to thrill, huh?" Dean tried, using another AC/DC reference, but she just glanced at him looking a bit annoyed, then shook her head, and turned to take her shot.

"I prefer _The razor's edge_ album." She said before she started shooting up the target and Dean smiled. He was getting her to talk at least. Better then the silent treatment, so he could work with that.

He waited for her to finish, lined up to take his shots and, without looking away from the target, he commented "Good one. Like _Mistress for Christmas_."

"Figures you would." Julia responded after he took his shot, focusing on the incoming target. "My favorite is _If you dare."_

 _"_ Suits you." Dean said looking over at his target. Half of the shots went to the head, another half to the heart. Perfect score. With a smirk he turned to see how Julia did, but quickly dropped the smile and gulped when he saw that perfect formation of bullet holes in the target's crotch. "Impressive."

"I know I am." She said without any modesty, then turned to fully face Dean. "What do you want, Dean?"

"Nothing. I'm just here shooting up some paper targets." Dean lied with a shrug.

"Cut the crap. We both know what it all means." Julia said, her mask slipping just a bit, showing a small amount of the hurt she felt.

"Actually, I don't think you know..." Dean tried, but Julia cut him off.

"What don't I know Dean? That we were hit by a cupid's arrow, forced into being with someone that might not even care about us in that way? That this was all just cause of some spell?" She was yelling, and to anyone else she would seem like a very pissed off woman, but Dean saw how close she was to breaking.

"That's not how it works." Dean replied.

"Oh, oh, really?! Then do tell me how it works! Tell me how does it work to be incapacitated and dragged to the middle of nowhere, and forced in a bed with someone you only heard the worst things. How does that work? To wonder if you are even going to survive and ever get to see the people you care about?! But all that aside... Tell me... Tell me how could you still look at her the same way when you know you were... enchanted to fall for her?"

In normal circumstances, Dean would mind Julia talking about Sarah like that, but he knew this isn't about Sarah. She might as well have phrased the question using her and Sam and not him and Sarah. That was what really bothered her.

"I... About that whole North pole thing - it was... Yeah. But the point is... I look at her, and I know. I just know. You and Sam... You might have been pushed to come together, but can you honestly tell me you would let yourself feel like I know you do? If you just met him on a hunt or... Whatever?" Julia pinched her lips together, not answering, so Dean continued "If you really are like me, then you and me both know how hard it is for us to open up to someone. And I can tell you care about my brother. And the most important part - he cares about you too. A lot."

"Does he?" Julia's voice came out as a whisper. She definitely sounded unsure.

"I do." a voice said from behind her and she flinched, quickly turning only to see Sam there. "It all might have been a cupid, or a spell or whatever, but it isn't anymore. What I feel for you is real. Please, just..." Sam spoke sadly but with great hope in his eyes. "I... I'm sorry. For before. Just... Just let me show you. Let me..." _love you._

Julia huffed "You... No, I am sorry about before, I didn't mean it like that. But, that... That doesn't matter. I know I hurt you, more then I realized at first, and I... I am really, really sorry Sam. And I... I care about you too, but I... I just need... I need to think things through, I need..." She looked up at him, despair and sorrow in her eyes. "I need to go. I just... I need some time..."

She could see Sam suck in a breath at that, his greenish eyes turning a bit more blue and she stepped closer, her hand reaching to cup his cheek. He immediately closed his eyes, and leaned into her touch. "Just give me till tonight. I will come back to our room, I promise. I just... I need to sort it out in my head." she whispered to him and he swallowed, but nodded, opening his eyes to memorize everything he could about her at that moment. She leaned in and brushed her lips against his, then pulled back and stared into his eyes for a moment before she turned and walked away.

Dean came over, just in case his brother needed him to pick him off the ground or something, but when he didn't, Dean just patted him on that back reassuringly and spat out a Terminator reference "She'll be back."

To which Sam gave him his most profound bitch face.

* * *

Julia walked and walked and walked, and finally realized she had been walking in circles, so she plopped down on the nearest empty bench and buried her face in her hands. She remained like that for a moment, then lifted her head high to the sky, closed her eyes and sighed heavily. It has been a couple of hours since she walked out of that gun range and she still felt something was... off. She still couldn't settle her thoughts, even if she knew he cared about her. There was just something that...

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" a voice startled her out of her thoughts and she glanced in the direction of the man that asked her, at the same time moving to the side of the bench.

"No... Have a seat." She said not really paying much attention to the guy, trying to find her train of thought once more and figure out just what she needed to tell herself, to convince herself that her and Sam... That they will work. That they will last.

"It is going to be a beautiful evening, don't you think? You can just smell it in the air..." the man beside her spoke and she just nodded absentmindedly.

"And the sunset will be amazing, you can just feel the buzzing in the atmosphere, only an hour now... Too bad you don't have anyone to watch it with..." the man said and she glanced at him, feeling sad that what he said was true right now. Took her a minute, but once she realized who it was that was seated next to her, she quickly turned to him, a part wishing she had an angel blade on her.

"Maurice?"

"That's my name, don't wear it out." He piped out and took a long lick of his ice cream, Julia only then noticing he had one in his hand.

"You... Why?" was all she managed. He took a deep breath and focused on her, giving her the kind of look that just said a pep talk was coming.

"I am sorry... You two were my first... And I might have gone a bit overboard, but it was never my intention to hurt you or Sam... It is just... You are sooooo adorable together." He said in such a girly voice before continuing "You... Nothing would have happened to either of you, not really. I wouldn't let it happen. But you... You needed that. You both did. Both of you were so closed off, so stubborn and constipated - cue Julia's appalled face and Maurice huff of laughter - yeah... So I had to make it a bit drastic."

He paused to let it all sink in before his face morphed into something a bit more serious and he took her hands and made her look at him, all to make sure she knew the next thing he said was important.

"There isn't a love spell involved or anything like that. The cupid arrow is meant to... loosen you up, make you open to the possibility of love. But ultimately it is your choice if you decide to follow, if you decide to take that chance. I can't make you do anything, cause you have your free will. You understand what I am saying? It was you who choose to trust Sam and open up to him. Your heart wanted that, was ready for that..."

Julia listened carefully to what he was saying, the more he spoke, the more lighter she felt, like a huge burden was being lifted off her chest. The more she listened, the more her smile grew and the more she realized... This was what she needed. She looked to the ground for a moment, figuring out just what this whole thing meant, her smile widening more and more until she was grinning like crazy. She looked up at Maurice and he was smiling back at her with a lot of gladness.

"I... I need to go talk to Sam..." She started as she got up, but seemed to realize this story isn't all about her, and she looked back at Maurice.

"Yeah... I know. - he said with some regret - I made a mistake with Castiel. My bad."

"My bad? That all you gotta say? My friend nearly died and is almost like a plant now, plus she is charged for a murder she didn't commit..."

"I know... I know... - he said with a mix of guilt and _oops_ expression on his face - I will fix it, I promise."

"Ough, yeah, you are. You're coming with me right now." Julia said grabbing his arm. There was some regret on his face as he bi down on his lower lip and shook his head.

"I'm sorry. I can't... But you can tell them I am working on it. I just need to find one of the old cupids and borrow their bow. I will fix it, I promise."

His tone begged her to let him go, and she wasn't sure why, but she believed him. She also had a feeling that if he wanted to, he could easily vanish on her, but he didn't, he wanted her to trust him. She sighed, hoping she wasn't making a mistake.

"You can't pull off Sam's puppy eyes, so don't even bother. But, I guess... I think I believe you. You didn't have to come here and help me overcome... You know. So as a thank you, I will let you go. Don't make me regret it otherwise you will regret that."


	10. On angel's wings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone remember back in True colours (chapter 17) that it was the 'ice cream man' AKA Maurice who distracted the vampire Aisha and slowed her down, smearing his precious ice cream over her T-shirt? And then she slipped and fell on the same ice cream? Proof enough he was a good guy from the start.
> 
> Warning: Not recommended for persons under the age of 18.

Walking back to Sam's room, Dean explained everything Cas told them, including that they needed to find the cupid wannabe, because only he could untangle the two. I Cas, he was a bit cheaper on the details regarding the sexual act, but did mention that once they... Once Cas... Came... Something else happened.

He mentioned the pillar of light that apparently no human could see, that it shot up into the sky, lasted for a few moments and was just gone like nothing happened. Sam, despite being as close to an expert on angel lore as a human could be, was clueless about what that could have been.

He said he would look into it as he headed for his room, alone. Dean watched him go and sighed, feeling bad about his brother and Julia, but this was one thing he as a big brother couldn't fix on his own, no matter how much he tried.

"Always looking out for him, huh?" he heard Sarah's voice and turned to see he standing in the doorway of their room, watching him. Dean smiled to her comment, bowed his head and shook it. She knew him well. And it was time to focus on her and on their relationship, because it isn't just about Sammy anymore. _Sammy will be fine_ – he assured himself. There wasn't much he could do.

But he could assure Sarah of what he feels for her. He should tell her what happened and he should make damn sure she knows this is real for him. That he doesn't care if he was nudged in her direction, because that's all it was. No love spell, no love potion... _Love?_

So he sat down on their bed and explained it all, all the time assuring her that, even if he was hit by Cupid's arrow, what happened between them was real and he wouldn't change a thing. The fear in his heart that she might react badly was so evident, she didn't need to be an empath to feel it. Throughout his elaboration, she remained silent, but with a small, gentle and reassuring smile that was meant to tell him that she believed every word she said.

And when he was finished, holding his breath despite her soft smile and the fond look in her eyes, Sarah leaned in and placed the softest kiss on his lips, just a small peck to show her unchanged feelings for him and then pulled away to speak.

"You are the most amazing, selfless human being I have ever met. Kind and caring, and - this part she said a bit shyly - and hot, aaaand... When I see all that... There is no way not to fall for a guy like you."

She leaned back in once more and kissed him again.

"Oh, so you fell for me, huh?" Dean teased, joking the tension away.

"Head over heels." She replied with a wide smile, and this time he moved to kiss her softly and tenderly to show her he felt the same, even if he couldn't quite say it like that yet. His hands came up to her shoulders and then started going up and down her arms and she melted away into the long, emotionally charged kiss.

He pulled away and huffed a smile, showing off the wrinkles around his eyes. Sarah's eyes were still closed and she hummed towards him, dazed by the feel of his lips. Without opening her eyes, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him back, and he complied without protest. The kiss was still soft, puffy lips brushing against one another, but slowly it deepened, with her tongue brushing over his lower lip, tasting it.

He hummed in response and let his mouth part, his own tongue eager to feel her too. Sarah released his shirt and came closer, pushing her upper body against his, eliciting more sounds from Dean. A quiet growl rolled in the back of his throat, his hands coming down to her hips, pulling the lower part of her body even closer, flushed against his.

His lips left hers, venturing over her cheek to her neck. They came up to whisper in her ear before continuing down, making her shiver. "You still want me to tell you what I want to do with you?" He was referring to her playful tease from yesterday morning, something that seemed like it happened a few weeks ago, considering all they have been through in the last few days. She huffed a small laugh and hummed a yes, continuing to giggle as his lips tickled her neck.

"Hummm... I like this. I want this... I want to start here, right here, and place soft kisses right around here - meaning her neck and collarbone - and I want to touch you... Here..." His hands went around her waist and up her back, caressing and making her shiver. "I want... I want to feel you next to me, to... To feel... The warmth of your... Body... Next to mine..." His kisses became a bit more heated, his breaths coming out a bit shorter. He could feel the goosebumps that ran through her and he smirked, then kept going.

"I want to tangle... My legs... With yours..." He could her her breath hitched, and then she let out a silent cute little moan and he caught a glimpse of her biting down on her lower lip, making his pants start to get a bit more tight. "I want... To pull you close and feel your... Breasts on my chest... Maybe tickle you a bit and have you squirm in my hands..."

She let out an ah!, once more shivering from his kisses and his touch. He enjoyed so much bringing her to this state, letting her melt into his arms, seeing her so aroused, knowing he did that. Just as his hand reached under her shirt, slowly pulling it up with the intent to remove it, he asked her playfully what she would want to do to him.

"I... I'm... I don't..." She tried, blushing, her eyes closed. Dean went back and whispered into her ear.

"Awe, come on... Tell me... What do you want to do to me?" She hummed and squirmed a bit and he used his nose to nudge her right under the ear before going back to kissing her neck.

"I... I want... Iwantotocoveryouinmaplesyrupandthenlickitalloff..." She blurted out and he laughed, his hot breath making her gasp.

"I didn't understand a word you said."

"I... I want to... Cover you whole in maple syrup and then lick it all off..." She repeated shyly, her eyes fearful probably of being mocked or laughed at. Dean pulled away slightly to look at her, bewildered and highly aroused. His mouth opened as to say something, then closed, opened and closed, the only sound coming out was the popping of air as he tried to speak. He swallowed hard, eyes focused on hers, mind-blown, but forcing himself to say "I..."

_~knock~knock~_

Fuck! Impeccable timing. Dean breathed out heavily and glanced at the door. "Go away." He said and turned back to Sarah. Her face morphed into something a bit more serious and sad and she went past him and to the door.

"Wait... Julia, wait." She said as she was opening the doors, and on the other side was a slightly slumped and a slightly frowning Julia, half turned to walk away, suspicious of how Sarah knew it was her before she even opened the door.

"Hey..." Juls said and looked to see Dean coming up behind Sarah. "Sorry if I interrupted anything... Just wanted to tell you I found Maurice."

"You did?" Dean said and then started looking around. "Where... Where is he?"

Julia closed her eyes and sighed. She knew this wouldn't go well with Dean. "I let him go."

"YOU WHAT?! But..." Dean tried, moving to come around Sarah, but she turned to him and put her hand on his chest to stop him. She looked at him and he looked back at her, puffed some air and took a deep breath. "Ok... All right. What happened?"

"He explained a few things, mentioned free will and how not even he could meddle in that. And he knows about Cas and he realized he made a mistake. He is trying to fix it. And I... I believe him." Julia explained.

"You... I still think you should have brought him here." Dean said after a sigh.

"He said he needed to find another cupid, and another bow and arrow. I really think he is sorry and that he is trying to fix it. And if not..." Julia spoke, fishing a tissue out of her pocket. "We could always track him down, right?" She opened a tissue to reveal two short brown hairs, probably belonging to Maurice.

Dean huffed a smile and nodded, not having expected her to be so sneaky. "Ok, alright. You got me."

"I am a woman, Dean, and by definition I am smarter then you." Julia said without real heat behind her words, more like teasing with a smirk on her face. But then the smirk turned softer and she spoke up again. "Well, I just wanted to let you know how things are. Now... I think I'll go tell Sam too..."

"Yeah, you go do that." Dean added with a smirk of his own, glad that it seemed like they will work things out. And he could now more easily focus on... working his own things out. Sarah watched Julia leave and then was just about to shut the door when she noticed him putting on his jacket.

"Where... Where are you going?" She asked confused.

"To the store."

"Why?"

"To get the maple syrup."

To that, Sarah started laughing, burring her face in her hands, and shaking her head. She felt ashamed, but amused, and it took a bit of an effort to look Dean in the eyes, feeling like her cheeks are on fire. He came closer, smiling at her reaction and planted a soft kiss on her lips before speaking. "Maybe we could leave that for another time?" He wiggled his brow and she blushed even harder.

They resumed their kissing and before Dean knew it, he had what he wanted - them naked on the bed, under the covers, on their sides, legs tangled, their arms around each other, caressing the back, neck, booty... What ever they could reach. Their lips were puffy and swollen from all the kissing and both were panting. He could feel her shiver from excitement and she could feel his arousal rubbing against her belly.

He was kissing her most of the time, tracing his soft kisses down her neck and back up, but at one point she pushed him away and started making her own way down his neck, making him hum and making his erection twitch as the image of her tongue all over him, licking the syrup off. He wouldn't admit it, but he loved when she took charge like that. Not that she was pushy or demanding, just... It felt nice. To be kissed and touched and appreciated and clearly cared for.

He never had that, not like this.

He was the type of guy that thrived when girls moaned his name, he still is that guy. He still wants to please and to see her reach new heights, but it is so different. Because Sarah... She is like him in a way, takes great pleasure in hearing his hitched breath and feeling his shudder under her touch. And she... She is just so amazing, in every aspect. She does things to him he never even imagined.

Dean was already feeling so woozy when Sarah pulled away from him and looked him in the eyes. He frowned, confused when she smirked, her hand playfully running up his chest. There was a start of a blush on her face that told him she had something on her mind and she will not tell him what. She would show him. Dean gasped when Sarah quickly turned away from him, on her other side, and scooted over, shoving her ass in his lap. The moment she made contact, his dick slotted right between her ass cheeks and he struggled to breathe, the sensation sending jolts through his body, making him close his eyes as his vision blurred. He could hear her let out a sound that was half a hum, half a giggle, and reached back to take his hand. She lead it to her breast and squeezed, her hum turning into a moan, the sound doing all sorts of things to him.

Sarah left his hand there to figure out what to do, what she liked and trailed her hand behind her once again. Dean felt dazed, but still leaned to trace kisses on her shoulder and the back of her neck when he felt her hand on his stomach, going lower and lower. He let her take the lead, just like before, loving everything she did to him. Knowing he needed to brace himself for her touch, he sucked in a breath just before she reached his throbbing member, her soft touch sending him so close to the edge. She took him in her hand, slid a condom on, made one slow stoke and then pushed him down between her legs.

He knew what she was doing and he still couldn't contain his moan when the head of his dick came between her folds. It was unbelievable how she was already so wet just from his kisses and his touch. She positioned him just right and he slid inside of her like it he was always made to be there, their bodies slotting together like two pieces of the same puzzle.

The whole thing started so slow, lazy, they just feeling each other, touching, kissing, melding their bodies together, and Dean had no idea it could be this good to just keep it slow and steady, never picking up the pace, just letting her sounds, the way she felt around him and the smell of her hair, the feel of her skin push him closer and closer to the edge. He felt the build up in the pit of his stomach, her pants coming out more loud with each slow thrust and he let his hand venture down her stomach, his lips never parting her skin even if it was getting harder to breathe.

"Ooaaa..." came out her surprised voice even if she knew he was headed there when he reached her sex, his finger coming to brush against her clit. "Dean... That's... Ooouuggh..." She moaned, trying to say something, the words forgotten on her lips.

"More... I want to hear you..." He whispered into her ear, floating somewhere between here and the clouds above, lost in the blissful feeling. She obeyed, letting out more moans as if his words were helping her reach those heights.

"Tell... Tell me... More..." Sarah managed meeting his every leisured thrust, their bodies swaying back and forth as if they were slow-dancing.

"I... want to hear you... more... I love the sounds... You make... I... I want to touch you... I love to touch you, kiss you..." He started talking, at the same time letting his finger play with her clit, and he didn't know whether it was that or his voice that caused more of her moans, and he didn't care. He just wanted to hear more, so he kept going, slow and steady.

"God, the things you do to me... I want.. I want to feel more, I love the smell of your skin... I love the taste of your lips... I want... I want more... More of you, more... Just more of... of everything... I want... oh god... I... I want... Sa... Sarah... I want..."

"De... Dean... Ooohg... Uhhm... Deean..."

"Sarah... Oh... I... I want you Sarah... Just... You... Nothing else... I... oooough... Sa... I want you... I... I lo..."

"Oh, Deaan... Deaan, that's... I'm... I'm here, Ddd... Dean... I am here and ... I am not going... I... ooooghhhh... Here to stay..."

They were both one big moaning, shivering mess, both blindly seeking to reach that peek together as one, but still both knowing what they were saying, both meaning every word, spoken and unspoken. A few more movement and a few more sounds spilled and they shouted out together, climaxing at the same time, hands seeking out each others to hold onto tight. They rode the orgasm for a minute or so before slowing down to a stop, both panting but with wide smiles plastered on their faces. Sarah slipped and turned to face Dean, hungry for more of his kisses.

Half an hour later, they were both in the shower, cleaning each other off, touching and kissing, admiring each other's bodies both visually and with their fingers, but not moving into anything deeper, simply content with the minor exploration. Once they were all clean, they laid back in the bed, cuddled together and fell asleep in each others arms silent and content. And if at one point Dean ended up being the little spoon, neither of them would ever mention it. But the truth was - they both loved it that way.

* * *

When Julia left Dean and Sarah, she turned to walk to the other room, her footsteps slow and insecure. The moment she reached the door, Sam flung it open from the other side, startling her. The fact was he heard when she shouted something back at Dean, and it took him a moment to realize it was real, that she actually came back just like she promised. It wasn't the first time someone made a promise to come back and then something happened and... His mind wondered away and it took him a few seconds to come back, and he stood up from the table, and rushed to the door, immediately opening it.

Julia gasped and so did he, as if a part of him was thinking he was imagining it. Two long steps and the was in front of her, pulling her into a tight hug, breathing a sigh of utter relief. Tears built up in his eyes and he didn't know why he was reacting like this, he didn't even realize he was this scared. He held onto her until he felt her melt into his embrace, feeling the safety and care it was intended to convey. He held onto her even after that, feeling her hands come up to his back and hold him back, comforting and familiar.

"I knew you said you would come back, but I..." he tried and choked on his own words.

"I know. I'm sorry, but I had to... I... I understand now." she said and pulled away to look him in the eyes. The fear and care in them was so overwhelming, and sadness washed over her. "No... No... I'm sorry, I'm soo sorry. Please..." She was always scared that this might end, that she might loose him, and too see him have that same fear in his eyes, to feel it in his embrace... It was so much. "I didn't..." She tried, averting her eyes, not sure what to say. This whole case, there last few days were so hard, and she was so tired of it, tired of the whole emotional turmoil, and she just wanted him, to be with him, like they were back at that station.

His hand came up to her upper arm, caressing it, and it made her look back into his eyes, her lower lip trembling, her own eyes filling with tears. He quickly leaned in to press his lips against hers, kiss it all away. They both made mistakes, they both needed to talk more, and not to bottle anything up. Not to let anything linger between them, wedged and to leave it draw them apart. And they will, they will talk it all out, but right now, he needed to feel her, to kiss her and to touch her, to have her.

He backed into the room and pulled her with him, never once breaking the kiss. She tried to wiggle away a few times, tried to speak, but he wouldn't let her, his strong arms holding her, his hot lips silencing her until she stopped struggling against him. That's when he suddenly pulled away, a different kind of fear widening his eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Her kind smile eased his distress, her hand coming up to his cheek and caressing it. "It's ok. I know..." Yes, she knew he wouldn't hurt her, he wouldn't force her into something she didn't want. He knew about her past and he would never make her go through it again. But that's not the reason she stopped struggling and gave in. No, it was because she felt it, felt his need to have her, to feel her. She felt how much he need to kiss her and hold her near and she complied, knowing he deserved so much more. "I know... It's ok... I... " She stopped, not really sure she wanted to say it, it might better to show it.

So she drew closer and hung her hand around his neck, pulling him down for a deep, breathtaking kiss. A kiss that told him she is here, for real, and no matter what, they are stuck together. But it took him a moment to relax into it, to let go of the tension and kiss her back. Julia never did anything slow, never did the soft kissing, her lips always bore a dose of passion and lust, and this time was no different. Soon Sam found himself getting aroused by it all, but this time, when he tried to pull away, she was the one that kept his lips glued to his... At least long enough to make him back away into the bed. The tongue wrestling resumed within seconds, the more she pushed forward, the more he scooted up the bed, all the way to the headboard.

Trying to keep himself upright, his hands were stuck behind him until he reached the top of the bed, and once he leaned onto it, his hands were free to roam over her body, caressing and squeezing. She held herself up with one hand while the other copied his motions, going under his shirt to caress his bare chest and tickle down his firm abs.

Soon enough her hand finds her way down his pants, undoing the button and the zipper and venturing further, making his breath hitch. She reached his fastly hardening dick and his head fell backwards, leaving his neck exposed for her bites. He didn't even know when or how, but soon enough his lower body was naked and Julia was shirtless, about to be braless.

Her hand was around his throbbing member and she lazily stroke it as she kissed his neck and ran her hot lips over his nipple, heading south. It wasn't until he felt her shift lower on the bed that he figured out what she was about to do, snapping his head back down, and seeing her about to take him into her mouth.

"No, no... Wait... Stop." He rushed the words, cupping her cheeks and pulling her back up. "No... I don't... I want..." He tried, but the words got lost somewhere along the way. He swallowed, calming his racing heart, because even he had to admit it, seeing her soft lips that close to his dick was... Exhilarating.

Ok, alright. It was freaking hot, ok?

But that not what he wanted now. He wanted to show her he cared, he wanted to show her... His appreciation. His... Sam pulled her closer, tugged to show her he wanted her lips on his and she complied, following his hands and when his own body became an obstacle to their impending kiss, she got up, straddled him and kissed him deeply. His dick was not so pleasantly buried under her jeans-cover ass, but is still aroused him and he tried to push past it, he tried to pull away from that hungry kiss to... To what? He himself didn't know what he intended to do, but then it suddenly hit him.

She was it. She was the missing puzzle of his life, the thing he always wanted, but never thought he needed. She was what he never dreamed he could have. And now she was there, right there and... It was all as clear as day.

Sam pulled away from the kiss, lock his eyes with hers and stared at them for a moment before moving his lips to say "I love you."

Julia's wide eyes watched him in shock and surprise at first, but then they prickled with tears before she blinked them away, gazing in to his eyes with so much awe. "I love you too... So much..." She whispered, and he smiled softly at her, pulling her for a soft, emotional kiss that lasted and lasted and only ended when they were both a panting mess.

Somewhere along the way Julia's jeans became non-existent, her panties ripped, a part of them hanging from her thigh. She was still on top of him, her hips rocking back and forth with him inside of her, while her hands and lips were everywhere making him crazy.

"If... You... You keep this... Up... I... I won't last long..." Jesus Christ, she snapped her hips up at that and he almost came from the sensation of moving inside of her like that.

"I can't... I can't stop..." She really couldn't. She felt the need to touch him and feel him under her body, please him and make him moan. She was a natural pleasurer and enjoyed hearing him loose it from her bites and scratches. "Make... Make me stop..." She whispered and oh, the idea those words bore...

"Hold me down... Or better yet, tie me down." Julia said, got off of him and picked up her discarded shirt. She laid in the bed and placed her arms above her head after shoving the shirt in his hands.

"You... You sure?" As much as Sam loved that idea, he was still worried. Julia was a rape victim and he thought this was either some twisted thing she had, a consequence of what she has been through or... Or she would freak out in the middle of it because she might not have thought this through.

"Yes. Do it."

So he did. He tied her hands loosely and when she criticized him, he tightened the knot, then looked down on her with a lot of uncertainty.

"It's ok, Sam. I trust you."

Oh, God, that was it! It wasn't just some kink she had (which he loved), and it wasn't about the trauma she went through. It was her way of showing him... She trusted him. In every possible way. Sam felt moved. She wasn't the kind of a woman to talk and share her emotions verbally, or share at all, but when she did. It was overwhelming.

She trusted him. Completely and unconditionally.

She trusted him. With her body, with her heart... With her whole being.

She trusted him.

Sam reached and much to her confusion, he untied one of her hands, pulled her arms in front of her and tied them back together, then took the knot and pulled it over his head and he leaned on top of her.

"If I am going to tie you to anything... It will be to me." He said and spread her legs apart, pushing his way into her. She gasped, to his words and his motions, but he slowly pulled back and slowly went back in, rocking their bodies back and forth. His lips were all over her neck and collarbone, his hands on her back and on her ass, squeezing and massaging.

It was a lot. For Julia, it was all a lot. Him telling her he loved her, that look in his eyes, those fucking lips of his that were everywhere, driving her crazy. Those strong hands touching her in just the right way, his ridged breaths telling her he was enjoying every bit of her, the warmth of his body on top of her. It was too much. It was so stimulating, so fucking arousing, pushing her slowly but steadily to that edge, steering something deep inside her... She just wanted it... There... She just wanted to reach that peek and she couldn't help a whine that escaped her lips.

"Sa... Sam... Please... I need... Oh, fuck... I need... Ffa... Faster..."

And he stopped. Shit.

He pulled away to gaze into her eyes and his lips twirled into a small smile.

"You trust me?" He asked.

"I... I do." She replied with a dose of fear in her voice, some she couldn't conceal, that was there as a natural instinct. But he leaned and kissed her so softly, like he did back at that station. He resumed his previous slow pace, kissing all her thoughts away, rendering her mind completely blank. She shivered as his kisses continued over her jawline and back on her neck, soft and tender, pouring all that love into every thing he did.

Julia didn't know how long it has been, but Sam was relentless with this pace and as much as there was a part of her that just wanted him to fuck her into the next year, she realized this was so much more. So much deeper, to connect with him in a different level, and she found herself starting to enjoy it a lot.

Her lips were dry from her hard breathing and she licked them, her eyes closed and she let out a sound of content, her back slowly arching, wanting to feel even closer to Sam. This made him up the pace just a bit, like he felt she was finally taking the full advantage of being worshipped.

Her mind was to far gone to form any words, so when he asked her if she was doing ok, all she could do was hum her response, making him smile. "You still want me to go faster?" He asked and she let out a disapproving sound making him laugh.

It wasn't long before she felt the build-up in the pit of her stomach and at the same time it seemed as if Sam had felt it to, he started letting out similar sounds, ravishing the feel of that slow burn. His grunts rang in her ears before they turned into silent proclamations of love, driving her higher and higher until she couldn't take it anymore. Julia's breath hitched as she came, her walls clenching around him, her muffled screams filling the room. He came seconds after, seeing and hearing her orgasm pushed him over the top.

The entire time he was above her, never lying complete down on her as not to crush her, and after they both reached that high and rode it out, his eyes opened up to stare at hers while they both panted, breathless. "I love you." Her voice cracked as she said it like it was the first time she uttered those words. He smiled at her and pulled her arms off, untying them, and then slipped on the bed next to her, never breaking eye contact as if he feared she would disappear if he looked away.

He was about to reply when she beat him to it. "I mean it. I love you." Slight confusion flashed upon his face, there was something there between the lines, he just didn't know what. She caught her breath and turned to her side to face him, to explain. " _I_ love you. And you... _You_ love me. It isn't a spell, it isn't some mind game... It is me. And You. And... It's us." A huff of relief broke away from Sam, he finally understood what she was getting at.

"I know." He said and then added with a hint of regret "I just wish I could have shown you that today."

"I get it, I get it now. I... I found Maurice... Or maybe he found me, but he said that it didn't work like a spell... He said he could only point the way, and it is up to me if I want to take it." She smiled at Sam's raised brow, but he made no comment, waiting for her to finish. "And I... I want to take it." Sam leaned in and kissed her, reaching up to cup her face as gently as he could. They kept kissing and kissing, tenderly and softly, neither knew how long.

It would be hours later that Julia would tell him more about Maurice and the fact that it was all just one big accident. That he is going to help fix it and that he needed to find another cupid to get his bow and arrow. Sam didn't understand why would he need that if he already had his own, but had no doubt that Julia made the right call by letting him go. She trusted him. And he too trusted her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is taken from a song called "Angel's wings" by Westlife. Those are some beautiful lyrics that relate to the story and if anyone wants to listen...


	11. Cupid, draw back your bow and let your arrow go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains some lawyer/legal stuff and if I made any mistakes about it all, I apologize. I have only seen trials/hearings on TV and even that not much, so all my knowledge is based around that.

Maurice landed somewhere near Minneapolis, in a town called St. Cloud. Flying over Cleveland wasn't as bad as everyone set it out to be, but Chicago was. It was damn right scary with all those monsters playing pretend they were humans. It wasn't that Maurice resented them for trying to live in peace, they just freaked him out. Ever since Jack gave him his grace, he had the power of sight and he would instantly know who is what, and to realize there is a huge city filled with monsters... Everywhere he looked he would find at least one of them, and it just... It gave him night-terrors.

But nobody would pay much attention to his fears. The very few human-turned-angels sided with the other angels when it came to him. He was just the annoying fat guy. Some angels were jealous of him because... Jack's grace gave him wings. Real angel not-on-this-plain wings. But it wasn't his fault that they grew from Jack's grace, and it wasn't his fault that Jack couldn't restore theirs.

But back to the task at hand. Maurice was searching for a cupid, one of the original ones. Everyone claimed they were all dead, that Lucifer took down the very last one in his hunger for power, for grace, but Maurice could sense at least one more, if not two. He could feel it in his bones. He could feel the love emitting from a source that was once one, and other times two. It was weird. But there was clearly angelic grace involved and he was 99,9% sure it was a cupid.

Maurice landed in a back alley and scrunched his nose at the smell coming out of a container. But it was the right place, he could feel something coming out of the house in front of him, so he sneaked inside the back yard and tiptoed to the house. He noticed some movement in the back window and decided to peek inside. There she was, a beautiful red-head with full red lips and a certain spark in her eyes despite her grossed out expression at having to wash the dishes. She had loads of foam around the clenched up sponge in one hand and in the other, pinched between her thumb and her index finger a very dirty plate. A plate she dropped and a plate that smashed on the ground into million pieces when she noticed a creep peeping through her kitchen window. She screamed and then Maurice screamed and then he vanished.

She ran for the front door, a bit freaked out by the way the man just disappeared, and she hoped to find her husband there. He was supposed to be there, working on the car, but the moment she opened the front door, there was that creep again, his hand raised and fist clenched, he probably had an angel blade in his hand and made it disappear. It never occurred to her he might have just tried to knock. She ran to their third door - the garage door and flung it open, screaming her husbands name. "Ezeeeeekieeeelll! They are here! They are here to kill us!"

Ezekiel, the former angel of the Lord came up from behind her, wiping his hands over a towel and when he spoke, he spooked her and she screamed again, twirling around and almost punching him in the face. "Who is here, Anael?"

"Fuck! You scared me! They! They are here! There is a guy... An angel, I saw his true form, I saw his grace! I don't know who he is, but he had wings, Ezekiel! Real, fully functioning wings!" She yelled at him, at yet there was nothing on his face but a baffled expression. She groaned and pushed past him, ran up the stairs and into their bedroom, flung open the closet door and drew her angel blade from an old shoe box. (What? You try and conceal such blade in a tight sleeved jacket or a sleeveless top).

Anael ran back downstairs only to find her 'husband' shaking opening the front door to that creep and having said creep grin widely, lifting his hand up in the air and saying "Hello." She was about to say something, maybe even draw her blade out to fight when the creep spoke.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to startle you, madam. I am in need of some assistance and am currently looking for a cupid." He looked between Ezekiel and Anael, frowned in confusion and then spoke back up. "Pardon me, but which one of you is a cupid?"

"Neither. We are both angels." Ezekiel, the kind angel replied and Anael glared at him as if he had lost his mind. They had no idea who the man was or rather what he was, and Ezekiel just...

"Impossible. I detect grace _and_ love. Angels can't... Ohhhh... Well... That's unexpected." Maurice said with a bit of a shock that turned into consideration. And as much as the cupid, love-sharing part of him was glad there was this kind of love in the air, he was saddened by the fact that he didn't find what he was looking for. Ezekiel felt sorry for the man... Well, angel and much to Anael's horror, he invited him in.

* * *

"The DA's office is just here." Julia said as she lead the way for all four of them. They were hoping to catch the district attorney early in the morning, and try and talk to him, to delay him and the whole case from going before a judge. But when they got there he was already gone, and his secretary informed them he was already in court.

"You just missed him, he is off to a preliminary hearing regarding the Ballard case." she said never lifting her gaze of her computer, never stopped typing.

"HE'S WHAT? What preliminary hearing?!" Julia raised her voice, surprised and angry and it made the secretary stop typing for a split second to throw her a non-impressed side glance. Julia was about to get in her face, maybe shove away the keyboard to intimidate her when Sam stopped her, and then turned to the secretary.

"I'm sorry, miss..."

"Miss Newhoff. Miss Francesca Newhoff. But you can call me Frannie." The secretary said, her eyes sparkled with clear interest in the tall handsome man, her lips forming a seductive smile. That was not the reaction Sam was expecting, and he could feel Julia fuming while Dean was probably laughing his ass off and trying to hide it... But... If they were going to find out more about the hearing, he needed to play along, just a bit. Polite and with a smile, but no physical contact. Otherwise Julia might rip her head off. And then his too.

"Frannie. My name is Sam Wesson, and I am Diana Ballard's attorney. I was supposed to come down and talk to... Um..." Sam tried, a kind smile and his enchanting eyes probably rousing up Frannie's butterflies.

"Jason Manning, the district attorney?" Frannie asked dazzled by Sam's entire appearance, especially the fast forming puppy dog eyes.

"Yes... Mr. Manning. - Sam confirmed - You see, Frannie... I was not informed of the preliminary hearing."

"Oh!" She gasped in surprise, setting her hand on her chest for emphasis and Julia rolled her eyes, scoffing silently.

"Yes... Now, I would really appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction and tell me where the hearing was being held." He looked deep into her eyes, and she could see where the ocean met the sky, memorized by those beauties that were staring back at her like she was the only thing that existed in the world. Sam really hoped it would be enough, because if he had to reach and touch her hand... He did not want to imagine what Julia would do. Lucky for them both, Frannie was swayed and she told them exactly what they needed.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, all three were storming into a court room, and froze when all eyes turned to them. There weren't many people there since it was only a hearing, only the judge, the typist, and an officer. On the right, by the table there was a man, probably the DA Jason Manning, and Diana was seated next to the table on the left. She was the only one that didn't turn when the gang entered the court room, sitting still in her seat, eyes somewhere distant, just like the first time they saw her. She seemed younger though, and not as pale as before. Maybe a bit less sad.

"I really do hope one of you is Miss Ballard's attorney." The African-American female judge spoke, and if the boys didn't know any better, they would say it was Billie. She was a spitting image of her, a bit more older though, but with the same piercing eyes and the same strictness in her voice and posture.

"Yes, Your honor, that would be me - Sam Wesson - attorney at law. I must apologize, I was not informed of this hearing." Sam spoke and both Julia and Dean gawked their eyes at him. He didn't sound like himself, and they didn't expect him to speak up so firmly and with such determination. Julia even made a silent growl, indicating she found that really hot.

The judge threw the DA one annoyed look, a look that only a trained hunter would pick up on, too fast for a civilian, and then she spoke up. "Very well. And I suppose the others are... Your entourage?"

"No, ma'am... Your honor. We are the FBI, Plant and Evans. We were..."

"Don't care. Take a seat or take leave. - the judge said and then looked at Sarah, an eyebrow raised - and you missy?"

"I... Um... I..." Sarah tried, looking over from Sam to Dean for help.

"She is my assistant." Sam explained and watched as the judge rolled her eyes, but motioned for them to sit at the defendant's table. They were about to head in when suddenly Julia tugged at Sam's sleeve, nodded at him and then pulled Dean out of the room, muttering excuses and about them needing to attend to a case. Sam just stared at their disappearing form with an expression that said ' _Are you seriously leaving us to do this on our own?!'_

They walked over to the defendant's table and just when they were about to sit, Sam's phone pinged, earning him a very disproving look from the judge, and he smiled apologetically as he pulled it out, seemingly only to silence it. 'Maurice.' was all Julia sent him, but it was enough. They were going to work on breaking the bond between Diana and Cas, and he was going to work on setting her free. How, he had no idea.

* * *

"What are you doing? We..." Dean started, but Julia pointed towards the other side of the hallway and Dean let out a surprised "Oh!" when he saw the 'ice-cream man' standing there nervously shifting from one leg to the other one.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Julia asked, serious and strict. She really wanted this hunt over and her friend free and talking again.

"Noooo... But! I did find an angel that helped me figure somethings out. He was nice, unlike his... 'wife'." Maurice said, still looking a bit odd.

"An angel? What angel did you find?" Dean asked a bit confused, the hunter part of him wanting to know more about a angel roaming the Earth, that took a 'wife' and could possibly make a nephilim. Even if it was a matter to be solved after this mess is fixed.

"Ezekiel. And Anael." Maurice replied, the second name coming out as a whisper, she was clearly afraid of her.

Dean huffed a laugh and shook his head in amusement, then urged him to continue. "What did Zeke tell you?"

"He helped me figure out how this whole bow and arrow thing worked and together we figured out what I need to do to break the bond." Maurice stated. Silence fell for a few seconds before both Julia and Dean shouted at him.

"AND?!"

Maurice flinched, but was quick to answer "I need to shoot Castiel again."

"Shoot him again? You mean mark him with your arrow again?" Dean asked and Maurice nodded. "Well, what are we waiting for then, let's go." He added and turned to walk towards the exit, to his car.

"I... I didn't know where he... Where his vessel was, I would have done it sooner." Maurice said apologetically. "I figured Julia would know, that's why I came to find you."

"His body is in the morgue, a few blocks away from hereeeee..." Dean said, finished with a glare on Maurice, suddenly finding himself and Julia in the morgue. It has been a while since he was angel-ported like that, the sensation still weird on his skin and in his entire system, the bowels especially. He could see Julia freaking out a bit too, probably never been teleported like that and he said, both scolding Maurice and easing Julia's mind. "Never. Ever. Do. That. Again! At least warn a guy next time, sheesh."

Julia seemed to catch on what happened and that Dean had experienced it, and that he hated it. For once, she completely agreed. Venturing further into the building, they found Dr. Dolan and explained they might have a solution for this whole ordeal, walking over to the freezer drawers where the bodies were held.

"Good. I was just about to call you, I just learned Lang ID-ed our victim." Ellen said.

"Oh! Crap!" was Dean's reaction. When he met Julia's raised eyebrow, he continued. "Jimmy Novak. Probably still a missing person."

"Can that cause trouble?" Julia asked.

"Actually... - Dean said getting an idea, pulling his phone out and typing a few texts - It shouldn't. Maybe Sam can use this."

"What about family members, they will be notified." Ellen interjected.

"Shouldn't be a problem. Jimmy's only next of kin is Claire... And she is one of us." Dean responded and finished typing the message.

While they were talking Ellen opened the drawer with Jimmy's body was and left Maurice with him while she focused on the conversation. No one paid much attention to what he was doing, and nobody noticed him flipping the body half way to examine the back of his shoulders and then his chest, lifting up the sheet and mouthing surprised Os at what was under. Just as the others finished their conversation, he finally spoke up.

"It's not here!"

"What's not there?" Dean asked.

"My symbol, my... Bow and arrow mark. It's not here. It should be here, I marked him when I talked to him in heaven. I slapped him on the back so hard, he stumbled. It... It should be here... It has to be here!" Maurice ranted on and on, freaking out a bit more with each spoken word.

"Ok, ok... take it easy there, we'll find it... Couldn't have gone far, right?" Dean said, patting Maurice comfortingly on the back, and the cupid looked back at him with a frown.

"IT SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE ANYWHERE!" He yelled, gawking his eyes out at Dean like Dean was crazy for even suggesting that.

"What about Diana?" Julia tried and actually flinched when both Dean and Maurice snapped their eyes at her. Still, she continued, treading lightly as not to upset the cupid/angel/ powerful being in the room. "You saw how they are connected, Dean. Maybe... When he went into her, he took the mark with him?" She suggested and Dean nodded.

"Yeah, that... That could have happened. Oh, crap!" Dean huffed. "Now we have to find a way to... SHIT! Maurice!" Dean yelled up at the ceiling because the place where the cupid stood mere seconds ago was now empty. It reminded Dean how Cas used to disappear on him in the middle of a conversation and how much he hated that.

* * *

Sarah watched Sam fight a loosing battle. This whole hearing would probably go way better if Sam knew what he was doing, which he didn't, and both the judge and the DA were catching on. Sure, he made some good points with the lack of evidence and the actual cause of death of the victim, he also indicated he was not informed not just about the hearing, but about a lot of other things including the fact that they identified the victim. But he sucked at the technicalities of a preliminary hearing, feeling much like cousin Vinny, but at least Vinny passed his bar exam, Sam did not.

Still, as he elaborated on how, because they did not know about the cause of death, there isn't a murder weapon, which was kinda... well... DUH, but he kept talking, and kept trying and Sarah suddenly felt some strange chill run through her body and she glanced at Diana, but the woman was still motionless. As fast as it came, the chill was gone, but then a minute later, it happened again. And then she heard something, a whisper in the air, a gush of wind whistling through the branches, ruffling the leaves and she realized... There were no trees in the courthouse.

The wind picked up, softly speaking in her ear and she gasped, finally figuring out who it was. She didn't know how it was possible, but he was an angel, so she figured he could speak to her, connecting to her grace somehow. She listened carefully, tuning out all the sounds and Sam's voice, but she was only able to pick up a few words. "...need... her... alone... please... Ga... mark... back... alone... help..." Still, it made some strange sense, like the rest of her mind supplied what was in between and she knew she needed to find a way to get Diana alone and to check if she had any kind of a mark on her back.

She pulled Sam's sleeve and spoke to him in shushed tone, and a second later he was asking or them to take a recces. The judge reluctantly agreed, maybe hoping that after a small break, Mr. Wesson would get his shit together and start acting like an actual lawyer. She was beginning to question that. As Diana was pulled into the hallway, an officer constantly with her, and the cuffs around her wrists, Sarah approached them after exchanging glances with Sam. She crouched by the woman's sitting form and took her hands in hers.

"Hey, Diana. I hope you're feeling good. We'll get this sorted out." She said and looked up at officer. "Do you... Did you take her to the bathroom?" A raised brow was all it took and and the male officer shook his head, blushing slightly. "All right. Let's take her to the bathroom then." Sarah tugged at Diana's hands and the woman obeyed, allowed herself to be pulled in the direction of the bathroom. Once there, Sarah looked at the officer expectedly. "Well? Are you going to take her?"

The blush on the man's face increased and he looked from Sarah to Diana to the bathroom door that had a sign 'women' on it, clearly getting more uncomfortable by this whole situation. Encouraged by the officer's reaction, Sarah sighed (although an eye roll would have been better) and spoke up "You want me to take her? I am sure... - she opened the door wide so that he can peek inside - ...we can't escape through a 15 inch high window."

I am sure the officer hasn't seen many Steven Seagal movies.

He nodded, somewhat reluctantly and stood in front of the door while Sarah lead Diana inside. The second the bathroom door closed, a whoosh of air startled Sarah and she turned around, eyes wide and fearful, only too see a familiar man standing in front of her.

"I... I know you..." She started, her excellent memory replaying the image of the man in front of that store in Miami, from where Sam was taken. "Are you... Are you Maurice?"

"Yes, I am. Now, I don't have much time..." He started going up to Diana and vastly pulling her closer, grabbing her shirt and pulling it down by the collar, trying to peek on her shoulder.

"Hey! That's..." Sarah started to protest to the cupid's manhandling the poor catatonic woman.

"There!" Maurice exclaimed, and then shrunk a bit when Sarah shush him and glanced at the door, hoping the officer didn't hear them. "There it is, my mark. Now i just have to..." He said a bit more quietly and set his palm over the mark of a drew-back bow with a heart shaped arrow. Sarah watched amazed as his hand glowed bright blue, the kind of light that she has noticed not just around Sam's and Dean's souls, but also around her whenever her powers acted up. She learned to recognize it as grace, but she was at a slight loss at first as to what those pink sparks were.

She has never seen those sparks before.

Diana snapped her head up, straightening up and Sarah had no time to think about the pink glitter when Diana's eyes started to glow bright blue, scaring the physic. Sarah watched, shocked and amazed as the familiar bright blue liquid poured out of the woman's mouth, the bright light shining more and more, and she had to blink and squint a bit to be able to keep her eyes on the woman. Truth was, and Sarah didn't know this, the light would have been a bit too much for a regular human, like it was for her when she first saw Castiel's true form, but a lot has changed since the lingering grace in her system healed her eyes.

A moment later, curious hazel eyes watched Sarah, who was left alone, the cupid gone with a ruffle of feathers. Sarah huffed an awkward smile and tried "Um... Hi. Diana. I... I'm Sarah... And I... " She was interrupted by some banging on the door.

"Recces is over." The officer spoke up, uncertain and maybe a bit scared that they pulled out a disappearing act on him. Sarah yelled back that they were coming, and then tried to say more, but the officer opened the door and urged them out. Diana kept quiet, her head down, but when she exited the bathroom, she met Sam's eyes and her lips twirled into a greeting smile, catching him completely by surprise. He raised a brow at Sarah, and she just nodded back, and man, you gotta love that silent conversation that develops over time when someone works as a team.

* * *

Dean was pacing around, phone on ear, trying to get in touch with his brother or his girlfriend, at the same time calling out to Maurice as a prayer, using a lot more curse words then a prayer should contain. Ellen was sitting behind her desk, amusingly watching him and Julia was standing next to the open drawer of Castiel's empty vessel, huffing and rolling her eyes at Dean.

All of a sudden, the lights started flickering, and the air inside the room started twirling around, but when Julia looked, she saw no windows open. A buzzing sound filled the room and then all the light bulbs started glowing more and more. They exploded, but the light remained, and all three had to cover their eyes as it kept getting brighter and brighter. "WHAT THE FREAKING FUCK IS HAPPENING?!" Julia yelled, but Dean held his breath, wishing, hoping, it was what he thought it was, too afraid to say it out loud in case he jinks it.

As quickly as it came, the light was gone, and nothing seemed to be different. Dean came closer to Castiel's body and stared at it, hoping to catch a glimpse of any movement. Ten whole minutes passed and nothing happened. Feelings of uselessness, anger and fear flooded him, but he shoved them down, not letting them take over, making a promise to himself and to Castiel that he will break the deal they made, go and ask Heaven or Hell to help bring him back. What ever it takes.

"Hooooooly sweet Jesus, mother fucker!" Julia screamed when Castiel's eyes flung open and he snapped in a sitting position. Dean gasped in surprise and Castiel turned to look at him, face serious and blank.

"Dean!" He said, quickly getting of the table.

"Whoa! Cas! Glad to see you back in your vessel, but I don't need to see the whole of your vessel!" Dean said covering his eyes and Cas quickly grabbed the slipping sheet to cover his front. Dean glanced at Julia and Ellen to see if they were ok, and not in shock and found them staring at Cas' rear. "Cas... You might wanna cover the back too..."

"Oh!" He exclaimed and brought the sheet to cover the rest of his body. "My apologies." They stood in awkward silence for only a moment before Dean cleared his throat and looked at Ellen.

"Could you get him his clothes, please?" When Ellen nodded he turned back to his friend and smiled. "Good to see you back man."

"I would say it feels good to be back, but... Something is different." Castiel said, and before Dean could ask him more about it, Ellen brought him the clothes and pointed at the bathroom where he could go change.

"Was he always this... Uptight?" Julia asked in hushed tone.

"No. - Dean said dead serious - He was way worse before."

A few minutes later, Castiel stepped out, flexing his body in the familiar trenchcoat, remembering how it felt when he first put it on. He glanced around, at Dean and at Julia and then at the mortician and finally around to room, figuring out where he was.

"Cas. We have to go. We have to get to the courthouse and free Diana." Dean said, reminding him of their conversation back in the dreamworld.

"Indeed." He said and then his lips curled into the tiniest smile before he added "Let's go." He came, set one hand on Dean's shoulder, the other on Julia's and all three vanished.

"Fuck! A little heads up would have been nice!" Julia spoke after being angel-ported again for the second time today, this time back into the courthouse, but Dean didn't make any comments. He just stared at Castiel for a good few moments, eyes wide a smile tugging on his lips. Finally he managed to find his voice and began to ask.

"Cas... Is that... Did you..."

Castiel actually seemed to blush before he sheepishly nodded. "Yes." He glanced behind him and managed to actually smile "I have my wings back. Fully functional."

"Wow... Wow... Wow, Cas. That's..." Dean tried, a bit overwhelmed, really happy for his friend. Since he couldn't find any words, and we all know Dean was a more of a show it and less of a talk it man. he reached and pulled Cas into a short, but thigh hug, pat him on the back and pulled away, smiling widely.

"Hate to break up you two love birds, but we still have to save Diana from being prosecuted for murder. Of this guy." Julia said, pointing at the angel, getting slightly pissed of, because Dean's friend was off the hook and Diana still wasn't. Dean threw her a dirty look, but nodded and they exited the file room Castiel flew them in, heading for the court room where Sam was failing miserably at trying to prove that Diana shouldn't be prosecuted, at least not yet.

Relief flooded him when the door opened and Dean, Julia and Castiel entered the room and took a seat at the back, but his attention was drawn back to the matter at hand when the judge spoke up. "Mr Wesson! As much as I am amused by your complete lack of any criminal proceedings, I am afraid you are wasting too much of this courts time and unless you can provide with some actual reason why I shouldn't approve this motion for trial... Speak now."

Sam nodded and turned to the DA. "Mr. Manning, can I ask you one last thing? Do you recognize the man sitting in the back with the agents that came with us before?"

"I... I don't know what you're talking about... I... - he tried but Sam pointed at the man in a trenchcoat and the DA had no choice but to look at him - I... He does look familiar."

"Sir. Please stand up and state your name." Sam said, hoping Castiel caught on and wouldn't claim to be 'Castiel - the angel of the Lord'.

"Good afternoon. My name is Jimmy Novak. I woke up this morning in the morgue having been mistaken for dead." Castiel said, his no-nonsense voice echoing gravely in the acoustic room.

The DA's jaw dropped and the judge rolled her eyes before speaking up "Well. Congratulation Mr. Wesson. The case is dismissed. And Mr. Manning. Please, next time, make sure your murder victims are actually dead before you bring the accused before a judge."

And if most of the precinct, court, DA and every civilian involved had their memories of the events a bit blurred, nobody would even dare to think a certain angel had anything to do with that. They are all too weak and fallen now, right? Wouldn't have the juice to fly around the town, and use their lacking grace to tamper with human memories, now would they?

Not unless they were regenerated somehow...


	12. Not all angels have wings

Castiel gazed deep into Diana's eyes as they held their hands standing in the middle of the motel parking lot, waiting for the other's to return. Everything was so different. The air seemed cleaner, breathable, the sun shone just a bit more brighter, warmer. And his grace was back, fully charged to its maximum capacity and beyond. He could feel his heart was filled and he knew it was all due to her, her warm hazel eyes, her vibrant smile and her soft fingers intertwined with his.

Angel's don't have mates, that's an old folk tale, even he knows that much. But if he had to explain to anyone what Diana was to him now, that word would fit perfectly. She was his angel-mate, his human counterpart. It wasn't love, not in a traditional human sense, because love comes and goes, it rarely lasts forever. It isn't affection, that has even a shorter life span. It is something so much deeper. He can only think of one word, one even older folk tale, that would describe exactly what it is this thing between them.

"Ur-Gon-Drux-Veh"

It is in Enochian, go figure. But she seemed to understand exactly what he said and her smile brightened up and he gasp as he felt that metaphysical flow through their connection of her soul and his grace. They will forever be linked, and he knows it deep in his bones. The only thing that is similar to this is the profound bond he felt between him and Dean, but not nearly as strong and empowering as this, and even if the connection has worn out, it is still there.

"Never thought I'd live to see the day Cas falls in love..." Dean's obnoxious voice sounded along with Impala's engine and Cas rolled his eyes at his antics, even if a smile tugged at his lips as he watched roll into the parking lot.

"What Diana and I share is not love, it is something else, something deeper. More profound." Castiel's deep, firm voice sounded, vibrating through the air like it did 10 years ago, much more powerful and intimidating.

"Ah, Cas. That hurts my feelings. I thought we shared the profound bond." Dean started to joke, Sam looked at him with a raised brow and a small smile. Julia pulled a slightly disgusted, more baffled face and glanced at Sarah, whose expression was blank. Obviously, they didn't understand the joke.

"Do not worry, Dean. I still love you." Castiel said all serious and then his lips widened into a large smile after seeing the look on his friend's face.

"OMG!" Sam started laughing so hard, he almost doubled over and after the appalled look Dean gave both of them, he shook his head, but couldn't stop the annoyed smile that crept up on his face. Even if Cas seemed different, like the way he was before, the all mighty angel of the Lord, the joke is so much Dean and with the combination of the two - it is hilarious.

Castiel held his kind smile as he looked over all of them. Sam and Dean, both still the same, at yet so much different. The things that were weighing them down seemed lighter, their eyes a bit more lively, their smiles a bit more vibrant. Julia - Castiel met her and couldn't quite judge based on the little he knew about her, but he could tell there was a connection between her and Sam, it was evident in their eyes, the love and devotion they shared for one another.

However, his kind smile dissolved and his expression morphed into confusion as his eyes landed on Sarah, he could feel she was different. At first he suspected she was a physic, the one that tried to look into Diana's soul and... Deep sorrow washed over him, and he closed his eyes heavily for a moment, feeling the guild weighing him down. His true form burnt her eyes. He...

"That's ok. She knows you didn't mean to." Diana said looking up at him, squeezing his hand, and he looked at her uncertain.

"I do." Sarah confirmed shyly, glancing at him with her head bowed. "Nothing to feel guilty about." She added making him look at her again, the curiosity and confusion back on his face. Sam and Julia stayed silent, not wanting to meddle, and Dean sighed, not sure how to tell Castiel about Sarah, not sure how he would react.

Castiel knew there was something more to her then meets the eye, and normally, he should be able to tell, considering he was back at full power. But he couldn't. It was like a part of her was hidden deep inside of her and he needed to look deeper to see what it was. He took a hesitant step forward, not sure how to proceed, and certainly not wanting to scare her.

"Cas..." Dean tried, but Sarah reached out with her hand, wary but decisive. They touched, palm on palm and he gasped while she remained silent. She didn't look, knowing his true visage would hurt her eyes, but she opened up for him to see. Nobody expected him to look so surprised and so... glad, eyes filled with wonder.

"Beautiful..." the word slipped from his mouth unintentionally and he could actually feel the pang of jealousy seeping out of Dean, making him huff a small smile. He took a step back and looked back at him. "I apologize, I didn't mean... Uh... - he sighed, and then decided on a different approach - I meant her soul is beautiful. Like nothing I have ever seen."

"So you know..." Dean tried, but trailed off when Castiel nodded.

"I believe the angels referred to them as 'Raphael's children'." Castiel said, although he knew they were also called 'Raphael's abominations', but he knew now the term was used a lot to describe the people they feared, people whose power was unknown. Like Jack. Sam even. But he knew better by now. "And if I may say so, I am glad to see one escape Michael's wrath."

Of course, who else would order their destruction back then - the one remaining archangel that could still put reins on Raphael and his thirst for power and Paradise on Earth. Wonder what he would say if he saw her now?

At the mention of the archangel's name, Dean came closer to her and wrap his arm around her waist, suddenly feeling very protective of her, and the motions made her smile kindly at him. There wouldn't be much he could do if Michael went after her, but he was a Winchester for a reason, and he would definitely try to do stop him or die trying. Again.

Choosing instead to change the subject, Dean decided to address the elephant in the room. Or better yet, the Chrysler Building in the parking lot. "So, Cas. Wings are back and the tank is all full again, huh? Maybe you could pop down for a visit more often now." And that was as much of a _miss-you_ as anyone is going to get out of Dean. No chick-flick moments, remember?

"Yes, Dean. It will most certainly be a lot more easier to 'pop down' as you so put it. Though I am not sure it will be you I will be visiting every time I come to Earth." Castiel replied glancing over at Diana. Sam huffed a smile, while Dean's smile was a bit more crooked, and a bit disgusted, but he nodded still. "I do need to go back and report what has happened. And to see if our... 'bonding' had any other side effect." Castiel added with slight worry in his expression. Little did he know his little adventure blew up all the way to his home and charged some batteries there, strengthening it.

Castiel turned to Diana, taking her other hand in his as well, and strangely somewhere in the distance a piano started playing. There was a voice singing something, but it was too muffled for anyone to hear.

"I have to go now... - Castiel said regretfully - But... I would like to come back if you'll have me. We... This... Adventure..."

"You being inside of me..." Diana supplied and Castiel actually blushed, but nodded before continuing.

"Yes... It maybe over, but it doesn't stop there, because I am here for you... For anything you might need. At... At any moment." He spoke, trying to voice everything that was on his mind and in his heart, but she stopped him, reaching with her hand and cupping his cheek, staring deep into his eyes. One shared look was all it took for them to know what the other one thought and felt, and no words were necessary. They kissed, a short soft peck on the lips and gazed into each others eyes one second longer before a gust of wind ruffled his feathers, taking him back home. Somewhere in the distance, a voice sang:

_"I've kissed your lips and held your head_   
_Shared your dreams and shared your bed_   
_I know you well, I know your smell_   
_I've been addicted to you_

_Goodbye my lover_   
_Goodbye my friend_   
_You have been the one_   
_You have been the one for me" *_

* * *

Juls and Sam, Dean and Sarah watched as Castiel and Diana said their goodbyes and after he left, she waved them goodbye, but not before pointing to Juls and gesturing her to call her later. Julia smiled and nodded, glancing Sam's way, but making sure Diana saw it. The woman smiled and shook her head before walking away into the night.

"Cas found love... Who would have thunk it?" Dean said huffing a laugh.

"Same could be said for us too, Dean." Sam pointed out, looking at Julia with a smile, and flung his arm around her shoulder.

"I blame the cupid." Dean joked, but his smile disappeared when he made eye contact with Sarah. She always smiled at his crappy jokes. He raised his brow at her, a soft, curious look in his eyes asking her what is it. What does she feel, or what does she see?

"It's... It's strange." She said, and looked at Sam. "You remember how I told you about the colors around your souls? The black, the purple, the blue and red... And how you figured out what most of them were?" After Sam nodded, she continued "Well... When Maurice set his hand on Diana and let his power cruise through her... I saw... I saw _his_ color."

"And?" Sam urged her on.

"It was.. It was what you said grace, grace blue. But it... It had this pink after shine to it, like... Like pink glitter."

"Cupids and bows and arrows and pink sparkles..." Dean commented with a laugh as he was stuffed it all into a stereotypical view of the mentioned species of angels.

"But that's just it. I never saw those pink sparkles in any of you two." Sarah said completely serious, looking directly at him.

"Wait... What does that mean?" Julia was the only one to ask, because she was the only one that didn't yet understand how Sarah's powers worked. Sam offered an explanation.

"It was just like Maurice said. His power isn't effecting us, we aren't under some love spell. He used his power to... Nudge us in the right direction and after we accepted it and... opened up to the possibility of...Yeah... His influence was no longer needed. And it didn't leave a mark on our souls like everything else did."

They all fell silent for a few moments, each contemplating what it actually meant that they all got the confirmation that what they felt was one hundred percent real, and more so, that the people that cared about, cared for them in the same way. It was of course Dean that broke the silence first and suggested they should go and pack up, to head back to the bunker. To head back home.

And as they walked back to their rooms, it was Julia who remained a bit too quiet again, with her head focused more on the ground. Just as they reached the rooms, she spoke up "Um... Can I... Can I talk to Sarah? Alone?"

Sam and Dean exchanged looks and then Dean glanced at Sarah to make sure she was ok with that. After getting a nod from her, he turned to Juls and said "I think I'll go help Sam pack. He always needs help packing, tends to forget his socks." Sam rolled his eyes at Dean's need to justify leaving the girls together like that and threw him a non-heated bitch face for good measure, but ultimately opened the door of his and Julia's room and let his brother in.

Sarah was confused and slightly worried and the curiosity seeping from Julia wasn't helping at all, but still smiled at Julia once they were in the room. The moment Sarah looked into Julia's eyes, she could feel something close to shame as Julia shied away from her gaze. She definitely had something on her mind and wanted to talk to Sarah about it, but it seemed like she didn't know how to start.

"I promise I won't bite?" Sarah offered, feeling like for Julia, a silly joke to break the ice would be a good thing. Turned out it was, as Julia actually huffed an amused laughed and added that she hoped it would be so. But then fell back into that shyness that was untypical for her. Sarah waited patiently for her to speak up.

"You... You said you didn't see those pink sparkles around Sam's soul, right?" Juls finally asked, mumbling the question in one breath and finally looked up at Sarah with some strange plea in her eyes.

"That's right." Sarah confirmed, getting a feeling this wasn't about what Sarah saw in Sam.

"Can... Can you... Can you check if I..." Julia tried, not sure how to formulate her question, but Sarah understood what she was getting at so she quickly replied.

"If you are sure you want me to, I can." Sarah never liked using her power on people without their consent, it was something deep and personal. Whenever she took a peek into their souls, there was nothing they could hide from her, they were an open book to her. She wanted to make sure Julia understood that, and that she was ok with sharing something like that, with spreading her feelings and deepest secrets out in the open. Sarah could sense some reluctance for only a moment before it was replaced with determination.

"I trust you." Julia replied, and even Sarah knew that wasn't completely true, but the fact that Julia was putting an effort, taking a step towards building that trust was enough to put a small glad smile on Sarah's face. She nodded and extended her hand, and Julia took a deep breath before taking Sarah's offered hand. She watched as Sarah closed her eyes and then tried to maintain a blank expression, but failing with each passing second, until she opened them only to reveal they were filled with tears. Julia knew what look of sadness and compassion that borderline pity. She wanted so badly for Sarah to just go past that and see if Julia was still under Cupid's effect. Sarah seemed to sense that, so she inhaled and exhaled, bringing her focus on something else.

"Well?" Julia finally asked, slightly annoyed.

"I... I don't... I don't see any pink afterglow." Sarah said and opened her eyes to look at Julia "That is what you were looking for, right?"

And suddenly, Julia didn't know the answer to that question. What was she looking for? She knew deep down that Sarah wasn't going to find any trace of Maurice's arrow, she knew what she felt was real, that they were her feelings. So what was she really looking for?

"What... What else did you see?"

 _Aside from the loss?_ Sarah wanted to ask, but didn't, figuring Julia didn't want to talk about that. She reached with her hand again, and Julia took it, letting Sarah in again, more deeper this time. _Sadness. So much sadness and loss. Mother. Lover. Child. So much... Too much..._

"It's... It's too much..." Sarah said and even if her eyes were closed, Julia could see the tears prickling in her eyes. Logically, she knew Sarah wasn't doing it on purpose, or pitying her, she was feeling all the pain Julia ever felt and it was too much.

"Dark... Darkness... You... Demon?" Sarah tried, opening her eyes to make contact with Julia's. The brunette just nodded, not sure what she was doing anymore. What was the point? Showing Sarah, showing anyone all this burden she had to carry. It wasn't like it could make much of a difference, now, will it?

"I... I can see it haunting you, the darkness of... of the demon... If... if only... just..." Just a bit of light to scare the darkness away, just a bit of divine grace to rid the demonic influence. Suddenly, Sarah's hand started to shine, to glow and Julia gasped, feeling some strange warmth spreading though her body. It should have been scary, it should have been terrifying, but it felt so nice and relaxing and... Healing. Like getting wrapped up in the softest, warmest blanket and snuggling into it, feeling safe and hidden from anything that might want to hurt you.

"Wha..."

"I..."

"What did you... What was..."

"I... I don't... I am sorry, I don't..."

"Aaaa!"

Julia's hand flew to her stomach as she doubled over, and Sarah's hand flew to her shoulder, stopping inches short, worried she hurt her and might do in again by accident. She paused, pale and scared and then breathed out "I'm... I'm gonna get Sam..."

Julia's hand flew and grabbed her by the wrist "No." _Don't leave me._

"Ok.. Ok, I... I am here. What... Crap. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... What... Tell me what do to... Tell me..." Sarah panicked, feeling torn with wanting to help Julia but feeling like she had already done too much 'helping'. Still, Julia clearly needed her to remain by her side and all Sarah could do is watch her trying to breathe through the pain.

"I... I gotta..." Julia tried and took one wobbly step towards the bed. Sarah realized what she was trying to do, so she helped her and lead her towards the bed, helped her up and watched her curl into a ball.

"I should..."

"No. Stay." _Don't leave me._

"Ok. Ok..."

Few minutes later, Julia felt the pain subdue, and at least she could breathe a bit easily now. She didn't know what it was, but it felt familiar, the pain, the way it would start fro the front of her stomach and move to her lower back. Slowly, but steadily the pain toned down, morphing into a dull ache, leaving her confused. She knew that pain.

Her shaky hand reached for her stomach as she sat up, her breath hitching a bit as the possibility grew, and Julia lifted her shirt just a bit, gasped and choked all at the same time. Her scar was almost all gone, nothing but a faint line across, horizontal, and the vertical one was completely gone. Julia froze, overwhelmed by all sorts of contradictory emotions.

There was a chance, she felt different, she knew what that pain was, so there was a chance, a chance that... She dared not even think it, it was... She didn't want to jinks it. But on the other hand, the loss of the scar... It... No, it wouldn't mean she would ever forget it, she wouldn't. But maybe... Maybe she could let it go. Move on.

Tears started running down freely and Sarah started freaking out, and she stared crying and apologizing and there was a knock on the door and then Sam and Dean came in, and then they were all freaking out together, asking what happened, panicking and trying to do something, anything, and Julia just sat there, silent and staring into nothing.

Sarah buried her head in Dean's shoulder, crying and kept saying she was sorry and that she didn't mean to do it. Dean tried to understand what was it she didn't mean to do, but couldn't get a single word past the sorrys, so he held her tight, his hand coming up to rub soothing circles on her shoulder as he whispered that it's going to be ok, and that they will fix it, whatever it is, together. All four of them.

"It is going to be ok." Julia whispered too, confirming what Dean was saying. Sarah tore her face from Dean's shoulder and looked at her with red, teary eyes and finally calmed down seeing the kind smile on Julia's face. "We... We will be ok." Julia repeated, looking at Sam who was crouching next to her, concerned and alarmed.

Her life changed the moment she reached for that pie and started fighting Dean over it. And looking back at all of it now, she wouldn't change a thing. Because before, even if time passed, she stood in one place, not moving forward, not allowing herself to live. And now, thanks to all of them, she has that option. She had the option to move on with her life and maybe some day even end up on that beach from Sarah's dream.

She would still need to check it to make sure, but she was fairly positive that whatever Sarah did to her, healed her. Mentally and physically. And for the first time in a long while, Julia felt like she could breathe again.

**The end**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Song by James Blunt - Goodbye my lover
> 
> This concludes this adventure, but I am hoping, as Castiel said when he quoted James Blunt- "It maybe over, but I won't stop there." There is a series of one-shots in the planning with our favorite couples. I mean, who wouldn't want Dean to meet Sarah's Uncle Dom, and maybe race him for Baby? Or see a different dark side of Sarah when something happens and her grace takes over? Stay tuned...
> 
> Until then, I would love to hear your thoughts on this story all together and on how I finished it. Guess those twins are a real possibility now, huh?


End file.
